To the Moon and Back
by CritterKid
Summary: How far will they go to help one of their own.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: This story represents a few firsts for me. First, this is my first Supergirl story. In fact, this is my first time in a comic book type world, which means I can do, and did, pretty much anything I could think of. That being said, I am not into comic books and have never read any of the Supergirl comics. Everything I use is based on the TV show. If there is anything I'm messing up from the comics, I apologize.

Second, this is the first time I've ever intentionally written a ship story. I love Sanvers, and in my world there are no alternative commitment which breaks them up, so Maggie and Alex are in it for the long haul.

Third, this is the first time I've written a story while the series is ongoing. I started writing this right after season two ended. I hoped, when I thought it would be a little one-shot fluff piece, that I would get it out before season three started. Then it took on a life of its own. It picks up about two months after the Daxamite invasion, but veers into AUville based on what season three did. I did manage to incorporate a little of season three, but its safer to label it as an AU from the end of season two.

All right. Enough of my ramblings. Time for the story. As always, it is finished. Since it is such a huge story, my longest one to date, I will be changing my posting schedule. Instead of daily posting, I will post a few chapters every week. I hope you enjoy.

No warnings that I can think of. If any chapter needs additional warnings I will put them in.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Supergirl characters. I am merely playing with them and promise to put them back when I'm done.

* * *

"Knock, knock." Kara glanced up, surprised to see the dark-haired detective leaning casually on her desk.

"Maggie?" she gasped, standing up and engulfing the detective in a massive bear hug. The other workers glanced up at her excited squeal. Some with amusement on their faces, some annoyance. "I am so glad to see you," she continued, letting the detective go after a minute. "Wait. Is it Alex? Is there something wrong?"

"Alex is fine," she started, but Kara was already back around her desk, pulling out her phone. Maggie sighed as Kara quickly checked for any messages. When she didn't have any, she shot the detective a confused glance. "Have you ever thought that maybe I might want to come see you?" Maggie asked, her lips smirking at Kara's confused expression. "That maybe I want to check up on you? Because we're friends?"

"We're not friends," Kara deadpanned back. It only took a second for her to realize what she said. Her eyes got big and her hands came up to cover her mouth. "Oh my gosh. I can't believe I just said that."

"Relax little Danvers," Maggie said, her smirk growing ever bigger at Kara's discomfort. "I know we're not BFF's, and we probably will never be BFF's, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you." She stopped and took a deep breath. "I promised Alex that I would try harder with you, and now that everything is calming down again, it's time to work on it some more."

"I'd like to work on it too," Kara said, smiling brightly.

"If you want to stand around and chitchat I can have you assigned to the gossip column," Snapper barked as he made his way through the bullpen. "If you want to be a serious reporter, you need to be typing that article. I need it on my desk before I go home, so I can tell you how you screwed up and you can fix it before I send it down to copy in the morning."

"I'm almost done," Kara told him, throwing a glance over her shoulder before focusing on Maggie again.

"Is this a bad time?" she asked, gesturing to all the activity going on around her. It wasn't too late, just barely after seven, but the bullpen was crammed with people. More people than normal for after hours.

"We're putting the finishing touches on the special Cadmus edition of the magazine," Kara explained. "And with Ms. Grant back everyone is trying to be extra perfect, and she's taking a special interest in this edition so everyone's a little extra crazy too. And the congressional hearings started this week, so we're getting new information every day, so just when you think you have it nailed you have to start over. It's just been a crazy couple of weeks." She let out a frustrated growl before smiling at Maggie. "So, did you need something?"

"Can we talk for a minute?" Maggie asked. "In private?"

"Um, sure." Kara frowned as she led the other woman to the outdoor patio. "Are you sure everything's okay?"

"Yeah," Maggie said as she followed Kara. Once they were outside, Maggie rested against the railing, taking in the city below her. Kara copied her pose, but her gaze was focused on the detective. "I want to start by saying I'm sorry about Mon-El." Kara gasped, turning her head so she was staring at the city as a feeling of sadness overtook her. It had been two months since the Daxamite invasion was thwarted. Two months since she had put Mon-El into the Kryptonian pod to save his life, banishing him from the place he chose to call home. Two months of feeling numb, eating ice cream on the couch by herself while she watched sad movies. "He was a good guy. I wish we could have found a way to save him."

"Me too," Kara whispered, tears pooling in her eyes. She discretely wiped them away. Maggie gave her a second to regain composure before turning to her.

"How are you really doing?" she asked, with so much compassion that Kara nearly broke down again.

"I'm taking it day by day," she responded before laughing. "Trying to stay busy." Maggie chuckled. Staying busy was not hard to do these days, at least not for them. Being on the front line for an alien invasion had left National City in chaos. The first few weeks had the city resources stretched nearly to their breaking point. Government agencies, like the DEO and the NCPD, were working around the clock, many of their people putting in twenty-hour days, seven days a week until relief efforts finally arrived. Fortunately, the city banded together during this time. Criminals, both human and alien, became concerned citizens, helping their city instead of causing chaos, which gave Supergirl very little to do. She was still around, helping whenever she could, but the most important thing she did was give people hope.

And it wasn't like Kara didn't have enough to do on her own. This was one of the biggest stories ever. Every media source and news outlet was scrambling around for any little bit of information they could put out there. The competing agencies weren't even trying to scoop each other at first, just putting out any information they could find. Then it was revealed Cadmus had gotten involved in the save. Then they found out about the attacks on Air Force One and the President. Everyone thought Supergirl had rescued both the President and Cat Grant, and after a quick conversation with President Marsden, it was agreed to let everyone think that to keep the President's alien identify safe. When Congress decided to open an investigation into the invasion, everything was brought out into the open. Including Cadmus and the DEO. It was all one giant headache from a political view, one that wasn't going away any time soon, but from a news perspective it was solid gold.

"So," Maggie started after a few minutes, which gave Kara enough time to recompose herself. "I wanted to talk to you about something, and then I want to ask you something." Kara nodded, giving the detective her full attention. "Alex misses you."

"I miss her too," Kara whispered.

"I know you needed some time and space to sort all this out," Maggie continued, "which is why I keep taking her phone away after the tenth text of the morning." Kara smiled. She had wondered why Alex's texts always stopped mid-morning. She had even done a quick flyby, just to make sure Alex was okay after the third day. "But she really misses you. She's trying to give you the space you need, which is why I've stayed away until now, but she misses you so much she's starting to hurt. I love her, and I will do whatever it takes to make her happy, even if it's knocking some sense into that thick skull of yours."

"I don't want her to be sad," Kara piped up. "I want her to be happy. I want both of you to be happy together. I'm afraid that my mood would dampen your happiness."

"I get that," Maggie reassured her, reaching out and grabbing her hands. "I do. But there comes a point when you have to start letting people in again. And even if you sit on the couch and have a night long cry fest, Alex will feel better because she was there for you. You'll both feel better." Kara nodded numbly, tears pooling at her eyes again. "I have to work late tomorrow night. I know Alex is planning to watch movies all night. Seems like a good time for a sister night."

"I don't know if I'm ready for our sister nights," Kara admitted. "Besides, ever since you and Mon-El came, we haven't really been doing them."

"You haven't been doing them weekly," Maggie contradicted, "which is fine, but you still did them occasionally. Just start slow. Once a month, or every other month. Whatever you're comfortable with." Kara looked unconvinced. "Just think about it little Danvers."

"Okay," Kara agreed. "I'll think about it." Maggie nodded. "What did you want to ask me?" Maggie sighed and turned back to the city. She just watched the activity around her for a few minutes.

"Alex asked me to marry her," she whispered, barely loud enough to be heard.

"What?" Kara exclaimed excitedly. "What did you say? When did she ask? Why didn't she tell me she was going to ask?"

"Calm down little Danvers," Maggie grinned, facing the excited woman again. "It was after the invasion was stopped. Right after you left. I came out to check on her and she just blurted it out."

"Did you say yes?"

"I was actually so surprised I didn't say anything," Maggie admitted. "At first, I thought she was just joking, blowing off some steam, but then she just stared at me so intensely. By the time I realized she was serious, I didn't know what to say. Then she was pulled away and I was pulled away and the next time I saw her she acted like it never happened."

"She was probably scared when you didn't say yes right away," Kara thought out loud, before staring intently at Maggie. "You are going to say yes, right?"

"When the time is right," Maggie admitted. "I'm just not sure the time was right then. We were all exhausted, running on adrenaline and bad coffee, and euphoric because we won, and everyone was safe once again." She stopped and took another deep breath before smiling at Kara. "When she asks, or when I ask, I don't want it to be on a whim. I want us to really think about what it means, for us, for our future, and really think if we're ready for that kind of commitment."

"I understand completely," Kara said.

"But it did get me thinking about our relationship," Maggie continued, "and where we are as a couple. In the chaos afterward, I would be lucky if I caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye on a busy street. I knew she was okay. I knew we would find each other after everything calmed down. But all I could think about whenever I went home to that empty apartment for an hour of sleep was how much I missed her. Which leads me to my question." Kara looked at her in confusion. "I want your blessing to ask Alex to move in with me."

"Oohhh," Kara squealed again, giving the detective another bruising hug. "But why do you need my blessing?"

"Want," Maggie corrected. "And I want it because I love your sister with all my heart. And getting approval from the most important person in her life is very important to me."

"I'm not the most important person in her life," Kara blushed. "You are."

"No, you are," Maggie told her, finally squirming out of the hug. "Make no mistake. I'm a close, close second. And sometimes when you do something really stupid and she's mad at you, I do take the top spot, but only for a minute." Kara laughed and went back to leaning against the railing. "You are the most important person in her life, and she's the most important person in yours. It took me half a second to realize that, even before I knew your secret. What's taken me a while is to realize I'm actually okay with that."

"Really?" Kara asked, sounding so lost and small that Maggie pulled the other woman into a hug.

"I need Alex in my life and she needs you in her life, so I need you in my life," Maggie said, holding Kara tightly. "Besides, you're pretty cool yourself. At least when you're not being annoyingly optimistic and condescending."

"I'll work on that," Kara conceded, pulling out from the hug. "And if it makes Alex happy to move in with you, you have my blessing. I might even help her move. If she says yes."

"I might take you up on that," Maggie said, heading toward the door. "Of course, usually when friends help friends move they expect to be fed. For you that would be what? Twenty pizzas?"

"At least," Kara smirked, following Maggie toward the door. "More if you wanted some for yourself."

"You drive a hard bargain little Danvers," Maggie smirked as she opened the door. "Oh, and by the way, this conversation, it's off the record. Except for the first part. I have to work late tomorrow, and Alex misses you."

"Right," Kara replied as they made their way to her desk. "Of course." Maggie casually waved as she made her way out of the bullpen. Kara watched until the elevator doors closed in front of her. Then she used her X-Ray vision and followed the detective through the building until she joined the crowd on the street. She blinked, focusing back on her paper, her heart lighter than it had been before Maggie showed up. She missed Alex so much. But was she ready to start letting people in again?


	2. Chapter 2

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Hey little Danvers." Kara looked up at the greeting, smiling when she saw Maggie walking through the empty bullpen. "Working late again?"

"Snapper says I keep putting too much personal feelings into the stories I write," Kara grumbled, focusing on her article again. "And he keeps assigning me the Cadmus pieces. How can he expect me to remain neutral after all these things we've been finding out about them?"

"Maybe because what they warned about was real?" Kara glared at her and the detective quickly raised her hands in surrender. "I'm not saying their methods were right, or that they shouldn't be held responsible for their actions, but at the end of the day, their research saved the city. Saved the planet."

"I know," Kara admitted. That was quickly becoming the public opinion. What they did was justified. How they went about it wasn't. "Was there something you needed?"

"Well," she started sheepishly, "I might have gotten Alex in trouble with J'onn," she admitted.

"What?" Kara asked amusedly. J'onn tried to maintain his hard as nails exterior, which worked well for people that didn't know him, but his friends knew he was a giant teddy bear inside. "How?"

"Well," Maggie started, "Alex might have been so excited for sister night that it might have made me a little jealous. Which might have meant I convinced Alex to do lunch with me earlier. Which might have led to an afternoon stroll through National City. Which might have meant the reports Alex was supposed to be finishing weren't getting done. Which might have made J'onn upset when the reports weren't done when she said they'd be."

"Which might mean she has to stay at the DEO until they're done," Kara added, laughing at her sister's misfortune. "You know, before you came along she wouldn't think twice about staying late at the DEO. Sometimes she would find something to do just so she could stay there. Usually J'onn would have to kick her out forcibly." She stopped and gave the detective an appraising look. "I think you're a bad influence on her."

"Definitely," Maggie agreed. "Anyway, I have direct orders from Alex to drag you away from Catco, kicking and screaming if necessary, grab some Thai food on the way back, and start sister night. When she's done I'll make myself scarce."

"But she'll miss the first few episodes," Kara pouted.

"I'll let you in on a little secret," Maggie grinned. "She's already seen them."

"What?" Kara asked outraged.

"It's not my fault you guys got me hooked on that stupid show," Maggie laughed. "Besides, I didn't make her watch them with me. It just happened."

"You are a bad influence," Kara groused as she shut down her computer.

"The worst," Maggie agreed again before turning serious. "Did you need to finish that? I can deal with Alex if you have to cancel for work. God knows it's nothing new in our line of work."

"I can't write right now anyway," Kara told her as she gathered up her things. "I'm too mad."

"What did Cadmus do now?" Maggie asked, a small frown forming on her face.

"They just released some reports from their early years," Kara told her as they made their way out of the building. "They were conducting experiments on genetic manipulation on humans. They don't say exactly what happened, but I get the feeling that it didn't go very well. The government officially shut them down, which is when they turned into a black ops organization." Kara huffed in frustration. "I mean, this is an organization that was fine killing every single alien on the planet just in case they decided to invade. What had to happen in those early experiments to make them stop? Or was it just because they were human? It just makes me so mad."

"Let me guess," Maggie said as they made their way through the crowds on the street, "they never said why the human experiments were stopped."

"Nope," Kara told her. "Just 'that's what we've got this month. Stay tuned for more.' They make me so angry."

"Which is why you really need a sister night," Maggie said as they made their way into their favorite Thai restaurant. As Maggie placed their order Kara thought back to Maggie's first visit six months ago. Kara reluctantly took Maggie's advice, surprising Alex when she showed up unexpectedly. Kara was more than a little wary, ready to bolt at a moment's notice, but the second Alex wrapped her arms around her she finally felt at home. She was finally able to let the tears fall and grieve for Mon-El, in a way that had eluded her until then. The next morning, they were both surprised to find they had fallen asleep on the couch, holding each other as they cried.

It was the start they both needed. Alex was still good at giving Kara space, but she was popping in more than before. And of course, the honeymoon period in the city was quickly coming to an end. When the criminals started up again, Supergirl was needed. The two sisters started working together again, which helped their relationship. She started interacting with her friends again, and while it was mostly professional at first, it was a start. Sister night was soon followed by group game night. Then she was able to start handling smaller groups. Dinners with Alex and Maggie. Gaming with Winn and James. She even was allowed out with James and Winn on a few Guardian trips, once she promised she wouldn't interfere unless they were in imminent danger. She was casually meeting up with various people at the bar they frequented. She was even spending more one on one time with Maggie, who was trying hard for Alex. They still clashed on most things, but they were both trying hard for the woman they loved.

Month by month she was doing better. Of course, the pain would still come out of nowhere and hit her like a ton of bricks sometimes. Alex would usually drop everything and hold her, Maggie not too far behind. But those days were becoming fewer and farther between. She could even think of Mon-El without the crushing depression setting in now. That had to be improvement, right?

"Hey, you still with me?" Maggie asked. Kara blinked, realizing she was so caught up in her thoughts she missed their food being passed over.

"Just thinking," she said as the took one of the bags.

"Do I need to call Alex?" Maggie asked as they made their way out of the restaurant. "Because you know she'll come running, and then J'onn will really be mad at her."

"It's good thoughts," Kara reassured her as they walked the few blocks to their new apartment. Maggie had finally gotten up enough nerve to ask Alex to move in with her. Alex readily agreed, but neither of their apartments was really designed for two, so they simply decided to get a new place together. It had taken a while to find a place they could agree upon, but eventually they found it. It was one of the newer apartment blocks in downtown National City, so it had state of the art security. It was close to both the NCPD and the DEO, along with all the shops and restaurants they frequented. Plus, they were able to get an upper floor so Supergirl could come and go as she pleased. "Should we wait for Alex?" Kara asked as Maggie opened the door. She put her bag on the counter and pulled out her phone.

"She says to start without her," Maggie said after a couple texts. "She still has another couple of hours of paperwork to do."

"Okay," Kara said, pulling out Alex's portion of the food and putting it in the refrigerator while Maggie gathered up plates and utensils. They quickly dished up their dinner, bringing it into the living room where everything was set up for sister night. Maggie plopped in the center of the couch, Kara sitting down right next to her. Maggie smiled as the show started and they both started eating.

Maggie was never comfortable with casual touching. She would be affectionate with her girlfriends, but anything more than a hand to the back from a friend and she would be fighting the urge to send a punch back. But somehow little Kara Danvers wormed her way through these walls. She knew as soon as they were done eating, Kara would cuddle up into her side. She also knew she would put her arm around the littler Danvers, encouraging the cuddling. She also knew there would be a big smile on Alex's face when she finally got home and saw them like that. With that thought playing through her mind, she let herself become lost in the story playing on the screen.

* * *

Kara awoke to a shrill buzzing coming from her phone. She looked around in confusion before placing herself in Alex's apartment. She grinned lazily before her smile turned to confusion. "Maggie?" she called quietly.

"Yeah?" she answered sleepily, her eyes blinking slowly open. It took her a second to realize they had fallen asleep on the couch, still cuddling. "Wait a minute," she said, totally awake now. "I was supposed to make myself scarce."

"Maybe we were too cute?" Kara said as she disentangled herself from the detective. They both stood, shaking the last of the sleep from their systems.

"The last time we fell asleep together she teased me for two weeks," Maggie grumbled, stretching her arms. Kara smirked as she went over to check her phone.

"Snapper," she said, listening to the voicemail he left. She frowned as she heard his message, finally looking at the clock. "Oh my God. It's after ten. I need to get my story on his desk by noon."

"Go," Maggie said, heading toward the bedroom. "I'll berate Agent Danvers for the both of us."

"Thanks," Kara called out as a gust of wind shot out of the window. Maggie smiled. She knew Kara hated using her powers for everyday things, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Alex," Maggie called as she made her way through the apartment. "You better have a good reason you didn't wake us up. Or you could have at least joined us." She rounded the corner into their bedroom, expecting to see Alex casually reading a book in bed while she let them have their lie in. She was slightly disappointed when she saw the bed was made. "Okay, your reason is starting to look better," she said as she went back to the kitchen. She pulled out her phone, checking for any messages from Alex before calling her. It went right to voicemail. "So, there's a crisis," she commented, looking out the window for any sign of trouble. This wasn't the first time they were interrupted by work. She called the precinct.

"Sawyer?" the Chief answered, sounding grumpier than usual. "I thought I told you to take a couple days."

"You don't want all hands-on deck?" she asked, a sinking feeling starting to form in her stomach.

"Why?" he barked. "So, you can have Alberts finish your paperwork for you?"

"Isn't there a crisis?" she asked. Since it became public knowledge, anytime the DEO was deployed for any reason, they contacted local law enforcement, fire and rescue personnel, and nearby hospitals. It was a courtesy call, letting everybody know what was going on in case things went sideways and help was needed, but for the most part the DEO was able to contain the threats, just like always.

"The only crisis I have is your apparent inability to complete the required paperwork in a timely manner," the Chief went on. "Or your inability to follow simple commands like take a break. Now, I'm serious this time. Nothing is on the horizon that needs your unique skill set, so I don't want to see you in my precinct for the next seventy-two hours, and when I do see you, I want you behind a desk until every scrap of paperwork you have ever let slide is finished. Do you understand me?"

"Crystal clear Chief," Maggie answered. "You won't see me at all."

"Good." The call ended abruptly, leaving Maggie more worried than she had been. She quickly called the DEO.

"Detective Sawyer," J'onn answered on the second ring. "To what do I owe this unexpected honor?" She could hear him walking through the Command Center, attending to the day to day business of the DEO.

"I was looking for Alex." She heard the activity around him stop.

"Back to work people," he shouted, but she could hear the change in his voice. He was worried. She quickly grabbed her keys.

"I'm on my way in," she said, not caring that she was wearing the same clothes she wore yesterday, or that she hadn't had a shower. She made it to the DEO on record time, flashing her consultant badge at the guard on duty. He must have been told she was coming because he just waved her through. A few seconds later she was hustling through the Command Center. J'onn, James, and Winn were all huddling around a computer. She made her way right to them. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," J'onn turned to face her. James looked up at her, while Winn continued doing whatever it was he was doing on the computer. "She left right before me last night," he told her. "There was no sign of any trouble."

"She never made it home," Maggie told them, worry starting to cloud her voice.

"We know," James told her quietly. "After you called Winn was able to track her phone. It's lying under a dumpster off main street."

"I've already sent a team," J'onn told her, grabbing her when she tried to leave. "Agent Schott has already accessed the video feeds from that area. She's not there."

"But she was," James said sadly, hitting play and turning the monitor towards Maggie. Maggie watched as her girlfriend was walking down the street, only to be ambushed by five men. She fought hard, but they quickly overpowered her, throwing her into a van that pulled up seconds later. The entire incident lasted less than thirty seconds.

"That was a professional grab," Maggie said.

"I know," James said, reaching out to rub her shoulder comfortingly. "No faces, you can't really tell any height or build. The only thing you can tell is the make and model of the van. Winn is searching for it right now."

"Oh no," Winn said as he stopped typing for a minute. "The fire department just received a report of a vehicle fire thirty miles outside of town." He started typing again. "There's no cameras of the area, and I can't even get a satellite image yet, but that was the direction I was tracking the van."

"Send a team," J'onn said indisputably. There was a sudden bustle of activity as they carried out his order. He turned and walked out of the room, determined to join the team. Maggie, James, and Winn quickly followed him. They loaded the chopper quietly, each lost in their own thoughts as they took off. Halfway there they saw the red and blue blur of Supergirl racing ahead. She had the fire out and was grinning contentedly by the time they landed.

"It's okay," she said as she saw the choppers land and DEO agents unloaded. "The fire Chief asked me to put out the fire. He was concerned it would start a forest fire before the fire department could get here." She stopped, seeing the apprehensive looks on the agents, the way their body language betrayed them. She frowned in confusion when they started pulling equipment from the chopper. Her frown deepened when a second chopper landed, revealing J'onn and the rest. "What's happening?"

"Supergirl," J'onn said, as they approached the van. She looked between his hard face, the sad faces of James and Winn, and the devastated, but trying to look okay, face of Maggie.

"Where's Alex?" she asked, her voice breaking on her sister's name. She looked back at the blackened van the DEO agents were surrounding. "No," she cried. She felt strong arms surround her and looked up into James's devastated face.

"We don't know anything for sure yet," he told her softly. He held her as her knees buckled beneath her.

"Take her back to the DEO," J'onn ordered. James nodded. "You too Detective. Fill her in on what we do know."

"Maggie," Supergirl suddenly found the strength to stand up. "She wasn't in there. Nobody was. It was the first thing I checked."

"Thank God," Maggie whispered. They started heading back toward the chopper when Supergirl rose into the sky.

"I'll meet you back there," she promised, "but if there's a chance I can find her I have to try." With that she shot off. J'onn just shook his head.

"Agent Schott. Please escort everyone who can follow directions back to the DEO."

"Right," he agreed, heading back toward them as they made their way to the second chopper. "It was the same van," he said shakily.

"If it was empty they were probably just trying to get rid of evidence," Maggie said, her detective skills coming into play. If she could focus on this like another case, forget that her world was crumbling around her again, she might be able to survive.

"Professionals don't usually leave much forensic evidence," James added.

"But they couldn't torch the actual crime scene," Maggie thought out loud. "It was too centrally located, to populated, to busy. Probably not their ideal abduction spot."

"So, we might have something there," James said.

"We have a team looking," Winn added. "But why would they take Alex? The last time someone tried to force Supergirl's hand by involving her it didn't end well. And thanks to me and my awesome hacking skills, everyone knows that."

"So maybe it's not related to Supergirl," James stated. "Alex has made her fair share of enemies too."

"Yeah," Maggie countered, "but they'd want to kill her, not kidnap her. None of this is making sense."

"Hey," James butt in, "she's tough. She'll hold on until we find her."

"Yeah," she agreed, as they prepared to land. She tried to focus on something else. "What were you doing at the DEO if you didn't know Alex had been kidnapped?"

"My suit," James explained. "I had some ideas on how to make it better, and Winn finally had some free time on his hands to upgrade it. He was just telling me about all the bells and whistles when you called. You should really come out with us sometime."

"Then I'll need to arrest myself for vigilantism," she laughed. She smiled at James, glad he was able to distract her, even for a minute. But then the chopper touched down and Winn flew out of the seat. "Winn?" she asked as they followed him.

"Why would they take the van all the way out there just to burn it?" he asked as he all but ran to his workstation. "If they were just trying to destroy evidence it would be a lot easier to light it up down by the docks. Or one of the industrial districts. Why drive it through the city and to that particular highway?"

"You think they were doing more than destroying evidence?" Maggie asked. Winn nodded, typing furiously.

"The van was reported stolen three days ago," Winn told them as he kept typing. Maggie frowned.

"You hacked into the NCPD database?" she asked, looking over his shoulder.

"It's a thing I do," he shrugged, continuing to type.

"Driving a stolen van through the city is dangerous," James said. "It's a little safer at night, but if there's a single cop anywhere along your route, you're busted."

"So why risk it?" Maggie asked. "And why the east highway? We're closer to the north side. Heading south takes longer, but it also goes through the industrial areas, which are much less visible."

"Because they weren't looking for a way out," Winn said, paling slightly. "They were looking for a blind spot."

"What do you mean?" Supergirl demanded, striding up to them. Winn sighed but turned to face her.

"Do you remember last week when you fought that blue alien with the freeze breath?" Kara nodded. The alien had crashed into National City forest and was confused. It was trying to find someplace cold to heal and didn't mean to cause as much devastation as it did. It didn't know it would freeze things just by breathing on them. They fought along the outskirts of the city, past the highway, and finally into the desert before it was defeated. It was currently in one of the special DEO cells, one that was kept in subzero temperatures.

"Of course," she stated. "I still visit it every day. I'm hoping I can get through to it and then we can help it."

"Right," Winn said, slightly less convinced. "Anyway, National City has three main highways going in and out. We monitor all three of those highways, so we can know who comes and goes in our fair city. The battle with Frosty disabled the cameras on one highway."

"The east," James threw out. "And let me guess, they're still not up yet."

"Nope," Winn confirmed.

"They took her out there to transfer her," Maggie said. "To another car. One that we can't trace."

"One of four cars," J'onn corrected, coming up to stand behind them. "That's the preliminary findings from our forensic team. But there's no way to determine what those cars might be or where they might be now."

"And without the cameras there's no way to tell which cars even came into the city," Winn said dejectedly. "That leaves us screwed."

"Except this is Alex," Supergirl said shakily. "She's going to find a way to let us know where she is. We just have to be ready when she does."

* * *

Alex groaned as consciousness came inching back. She opened her eyes a sliver, only to close them as a fierce light burned through her, intensifying her headache and threatening to send her under again.

"My, my," someone chortled nearby. "I heard you were a fighter." She had brief flash of her abduction. Forcing the pain to the side, she forced her eyes open once again. She was relieved when a blurry form shielded her from the lights.

"Wa…" she tried to get any sound to come out of her lips but found talking was impossible. She glanced back at the blurry form and forced herself to concentrate until she was able to make out a pair of glasses and a surgical mask.

"I know you're thirsty," the voice said kindly, "and I will give you some water, but it's best if we wait until after the surgery." Her mind was slow to comprehend what he said, but when she did understand, she started struggling. Her limbs were slow and uncoordinated, but she was still able to feel the straps holding her down. "Now I'm afraid what comes next will be extremely unpleasant. But I will do the humane thing and ensure you don't feel anything." Alex was trying to understand those words when she felt an icy substance move through the IV she didn't even know she had. She tried to fight the drug, but it was impossible. Seconds later she was gone again.


	3. Chapter 3

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Mind if I join you?" Kara looked up at the voice, surprised to see Lena Luthor before her.

"I thought you were never going to talk to me again," Kara said dejectedly, making no move to greet Lena. As part of her self-healing, she had decided to reveal her identity as Supergirl to the billionaire. That meeting did not go well. Lena was close to figuring it out on her own anyway, but the hurt she had felt when she heard the truth caused her to say some things she really didn't mean.

"I really need to apologize for that meeting," Lena said, helping herself to the seat across from Kara. "I said some things that I regret."

"You were upset," Kara said kindly, "understandably so. I just wish I had told you sooner. Trusted you sooner."

"But it's hard to trust a Luthor," Lena replied. "Especially for you and your cousin." Kara looked down at her lap. "I understand that better than anyone."

"I wanted to tell you so many times," Kara blurted out. "But every time I tried, I chickened out."

"Why?" Lena asked before backpedaling. "Of course, I'd understand if you don't want to tell me."

"I do," Kara spoke up. She looked around. The outdoor patio at Catco was empty, except for them. "The first time we met I wasn't sure what to make of you. The shuttle had just exploded, which is definitely something Lex would have done if he could. Then I met you, and I realized exactly how wrong my preconceived notions were. But you were still a Luthor, and our hard-won family experiences taught me not to trust blindly."

"A valuable lesson," Lena admitted. Kara nodded but continued.

"As we spent more time together, I became more and more in awe of you, of what you were able to achieve. I'd like to think we'd become friends. I should have told you then, I knew I could trust you, but then I was scared in a different way."

"How so?" Lena asked quietly.

"I was friends with Winn long before Supergirl. He was the first one I told, except for my sister who already knew. I trusted him and he was fine with it. More than fine. He was the first one to really help me. And then I told James and we became a team. But something had changed. They were still my friends, but I wasn't just Kara anymore. I was super friend Kara. And sometimes I missed being just Kara." She reached out and grabbed Lena's hand. "When we started getting close, I had that again. I was just Kara. I didn't realize until then how much I missed her. I was scared I would lose that if I told you. I was being selfish." Kara looked up at Lena, who was scrutinizing her wordlessly.

"I really am a Luthor," Lena said suddenly. Kara looked at her in confusion. She smiled in return. "You told me one of your secrets. It's only fair I tell you one of mine."

"But everyone knows you were adopted," Kara exclaimed.

"That's what mother wants them to know," Lena started, "but there's more to the story than even I knew. Would you like to hear the real story?"

"Of course," Kara said eagerly, before pulling back slightly. "But only if you want to tell me." Lena smiled.

"When Lionel and Lillian had their child, Lex became the sole focus of mother's attention. She was as ignorant of the needs of others back then as she is today. Lionel eventually sought out the company of another woman. I was the result. When Lillian found out, she was furious. She demanded Lionel break off the affair and return home, which he did. Lillian set my mother up, comfortably, for the rest of her life, demanding only her silence. When my mother got sick and died, Lionel finally stood up for me. He forced Lillian to accept me into the household, legally adopting me as a Luthor."

"Wow," Kara whispered. "How did you find this out?"

"She told me," Lena answered. "When she needed something from me she tried to connect with me. Of course, I didn't trust her at her word. I've had several independent sources quietly confirm, even going as far as perform a DNA comparison between myself and Lex. We do share a single parental match." She stopped, watching Kara closely. "And now you know my single, darkest secret. What are you going to do with it, amazing reporter Kara Danvers?"

"I'm going to consider us even," Kara smiled, "and if she allows it, I'm going to give my friend a hug." Lena nodded, and Kara zipped around the table, engulfing her eagerly. "I missed this," she said, pulling away enough to look at Lena's face.

"Me too," Lena admitted, pulling Kara closer. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Lena pulled away.

"I never asked what you were doing up here," Kara said.

"I was actually visiting the DEO," Lena admitted. "I'm sorry to hear about Alex."

"She'll be fine," Kara said, forcing the words out, trying to believe them herself. "She's tough." But Kara's voice cracked, and her tough exterior began to crumble. Lena pulled her to her side and held her as Kara broke down. It took twenty minutes for Kara to regain her composure.

"There's been no sign?" Lena asked, cradling the alien to her chest.

"None," Kara sniffled. "It's been over two weeks and there's been nothing. Maggie's been hitting her sources on the street. James has been hitting his sources in the media. Winn's been hacking everything he can think of. J'onn has been searching every night, even calling M'gann back in case she heard anything. Even Cat has reached out to her contacts."

"And I've reached out to mine," Lena told her quietly. Kara stood back in shock.

"I didn't know that." Lena shrugged.

"Nothing has turned up yet," she admitted. "I didn't want to get your hopes up without anything solid to go on."

"Thank you for trying," Kara said despondently. Lena smiled.

"Anything for you." She reached out and grabbed Kara's hand again. "Then Winn called with an idea he needed help with. I rushed right over."

"An idea?" Kara asked hopefully. "What kind of an idea?"

"Something about interfacing the DEO satellites with the L-Corp super computer to enhance the detection range on the DEO tracker, which they are continually pinging."

"So you can find her?" Kara asked excitedly. "Why aren't you there helping him? She's much more important than I am."

"You're just as important," Lena told her, "and we've already finished. They're scanning the city as we speak."

"What?" Kara squeaked as she ran out the door. She ran back in a few seconds later, giving Lena a super hug. "Thank you." And with that she was gone again. A few minutes later she was changed and in the DEO.

"I take it Ms. Luthor found you," J'onn said as he watched the main screen carefully. Maggie was next to him, watching the search, while Winn was typing on his computer.

"You could have called," Kara admonished. She started pacing from side to side.

"And have you breathing down our necks here?" J'onn asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. Kara sighed and forced herself to stop pacing when she got to Winn.

"Is it working?" He sighed, turning to look at her.

"I hope it is," he admitted. "With Lena's help, I was able to increase the sensitivity over three hundred percent. Unfortunately, it also has a very limited range. We are searching the city block by block. Point the satellite, ping the tracker, and hope something registers. But we've never tried this before. There's no way to know if it's working until we get a reply."

"They've already been able to rule out some of the more obvious places," Maggie added. "The port area, abandoned industrial districts, Lord Technologies…"

"L-Corp," Kara said, understanding the different colors on the map now.

"Lena specifically asked to clear that area first," Winn told her slowly. "Along with Luthor Manor."

"To prove that she's not involved?" J'onn asked. Kara frowned.

"Or see if her mother is," she countered. "I trust Lena."

"Then I do too," Maggie said.

"For now," J'onn admitted defeat. He turned to Kara. "You should go home, get some rest. This could take all night." Kara shook her head.

"No, and I'm not waiting on a team when we finally get a positive response. As soon as we get something I'm going."

"I was afraid of that," J'onn admitted, "which is why I will be going with you." Kara nodded, accepting his terms. "I'll be in my office."

"I'm coming too," Maggie said, her eyes never leaving the map of the city.

"We'll be flying," Kara started, but Maggie cut her off with a sharp glare.

"I'll hang on to the back of your cape if necessary, but I'm going. She is my entire world. I'm going." Kara nodded.

"But you hate flying with me," she joked, trying to lighten the mood. "The last time you puked for three straight hours afterwards."

"Things you do for love," Maggie reluctantly admitted as they made themselves as comfortable in the Command Center as they could. Two hours later J'onn finished his duties and joined them in their vigil. Six hours, forty-eight minutes, and thirteen seconds later they got a positive response. They were out the door before Winn could turn around.


	4. Chapter 4

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Drink this." Alex groaned as she slowly came too. A straw was placed at her lips and she latched on unconsciously, greedily slurping the water. She whimpered when it was pulled away after a few sips. "I know it hurts. I've given you something to help ease the pain." Alex nodded slightly then immediately regretted the tiny movement as pain blossomed around her head. "If it's any consolation, you endured the surgery remarkably."

"Surgery?" Alex asked, forcing the words out of her parched throat. She forced her eyes open, looking around the dimly lit room in confusion. She stopped when she spotted someone at the foot of her bed. "Who are you?" she asked, instinctively trying to sit up, which caused another flood of pain to pass through her system. The pain was replaced by panic, though, when she realized she was restrained.

"You really shouldn't try to move," the unknown man said as he stepped closer to her head. "I've given you something for the pain, but it will do little more than take the edge off. Anything stronger will interfere with the procedure."

"What did you do to me?" she asked, glaring at him as best she could. He smiled and held the cup up to her again.

"Drink. It will help." Alex refused to open her mouth until a wave of pain crashed through her. She automatically tensed, closing her eyes and opening her mouth to scream. He took advantage of her weakness, putting the straw into her open mouth. After what seemed like hours the pain started to fade. Alex felt every muscle in her body go limp. She instinctually sucked on the straw, hoping for anything that would help with the pain. She was surprised when the water did. She opened her eyes slightly, glaring at the man when he pulled the cup away again after a few sips. "We have to go slowly until we're sure your stomach can handle it," he explained. "Most people were still unconscious at this time. The fact that you're awake is astounding."

"Who are you?" she forced out, causing him to smile.

"Of course, where are my manners. I'm Dr. Nicholas Storm." He reached down and shook her hand, which was slightly hard to do since she was still in restraints.

"Let me go," she insisted weakly. He shook his head sadly.

"Seizures are sometimes an after effect of the surgery, and we don't want you hurting yourself."

"What do you want from me?" she asked, even as sleep was trying to pull her back down.

"From you, my dear, nothing." He moved back to her chart and wrote in some notes. "Now I know you are exhausted at this point. Sleep really is the best thing for you right now. We'll talk more later, when you're feeling better." He replaced her chart and stood, smiling at her. She tried to argue with him, but she just didn't have the strength. A few minutes later her eyes closed again.

* * *

The next time she woke up, she was in a different room. She had vague memories of waking up and pain, but she wasn't sure if they were real or not. She also had vague recollections of Dr. Storm helping her, but then she thought about the last real memory she had and realized he had done this to her. Everything hurt. Everything was confusing.

"Welcome back," Dr. Storm said, entering her room. He held out a cup of water and placed the straw in her mouth. This time he let her have several gulps before pulling it away.

"What did you do to me?" she asked, the water helping to clear the fogginess from her mind.

"I had to perform minor surgery," he told her. She rolled her eyes. The pain she was feeling was from more than minor surgery.

"What do you want," she asked icily.

"From you, nothing," he said sincerely, "but I do need help from the organization that you work for. I tried doing things the proper way, but my request was denied. They told me, in a very formal letter, that any possible benefits to my proposal would not outweigh the cost and my request was disapproved. They did add that if I chose to continue my research, and if I discovered anything new that would directly relate to my request, I had the option of resubmitting my proposal. It was all done very professionally, very elegantly, and if I wasn't completely desperate, I would have taken their rejection stoically. But I am desperate, and I can't continue my research without the help of the DEO."

"They'll never help you," Alex growled, "and your insane if you think they will."

"Oh, you're right about that," he said, laughing slightly as he brought the cup back to Alex. She looked at him appraisingly but made no attempt to drink. "I promise you it's only water. And I know it will help." Alex was hesitant, but she eventually took the offered water.

"Right about what?" she asked, once the cup was empty.

"That I'm insane," he said, grinning at her. "But what desperate man isn't." His smile fell from his face. "I am sorry that you had to get caught up in my insanity. My biggest regret isn't that I had to do the procedure on myself. It's that I had to inflict in on another. I am truly sorry for your pain."

"What procedure," Alex asked. He smiled sadly.

"I had to insert a small device into the base of your skull," he explained, turning around and showing her his own scar at the top of his neck. He turned back toward her. "Then you've been undergoing treatment with a special serum I developed, which dismantles the device on a molecular level and deposits it throughout your body."

"Why?" Alex demanded just as her body tensed up with another round of pain. He winced as he watched her body convulse, the straps keeping her firmly in place. When it was over, he offered her some more water.

"I know it hurts, but it's almost over," he said, tenderly stroking her hair. "The best thing to do now is sleep. When you wake up you'll feel better. I know from experience." She tried to fight it, but her eyes were already closing.

* * *

The next time she woke up she could feel herself moving. She opened her eyes and found herself in the back of an ambulance. She almost cried out in relief, until she saw Dr. Storm watching her. "I have some water, if you want to try it," he told her. She nodded, relieved that small act didn't send spasms of pain shooting through her like before. "Small sips," he cautioned, bringing the straw to her mouth. He pulled it away after a single sip. Alex glared at him, until her stomach started to violently churn.

"Oh God," she whispered, closing her eyes in a vain attempt to calm her nausea.

"You completed the treatment remarkably well," Dr. Storm told her, almost like a parent praising their child. "Unfortunately, varying degrees of nausea is a side effect of the serum. Normally you would ride out the storm in your hospital bed, but unfortunately your friends turned out to be more determined than I originally thought."

"What?" Alex asked, bolting upright only to sink back down when the world spun violently around her. Her stomach churned, and it took her a few minutes to realize she was not restrained.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he cautioned. "I may have removed the restraints, but you're in no condition to fight. I don't want to hurt you."

"Then you shouldn't have taken me," Alex forced out, pushing herself up despite her vertigo.

"You are a fighter," Dr. Storm said, impressed by this display. "But unfortunately, I don't have time for this. I'm sorry Alex." He came over and effortlessly pushed her back down, securing a single strap across her chest. Alex groaned, embarrassed that it was enough to keep her down. He started chuckling but stopped when they turned off the street into a building. The ambulance parked, and he looked up front. "You know what to do." Alex heard the doors opening, then someone grabbed her gurney. The nausea increased and combined with the vertigo it was enough to make her pass out.

When she came to, she was relieved to find she wasn't moving anymore. Then she opened her eyes and realized that wasn't a good thing. She was in the middle of a gigantic room, strung up by her arms, held tightly by chains. Around her was a circle of panels Dr. Storm was currently tinkering with. They were blinking different colors, assaulting her already tender eyes, causing her to groan in discomfort.

"Welcome back," he said when he noticed she was awake. He grabbed a bottle of water from his workstation and offered her a sip. She took it gratefully, happy when her stomach only protested slightly.

"What are you doing?" she asked when he returned to the panel he was tinkering with.

"Setting the trap," he told her as he started working again. Her eyes got wide when she saw several blocks of C-4 under the panels. "I need them to listen to me, just for a second. Everything you've gone through would be for nothing if they don't."

"They'll find me," she said, sounding braver than she felt.

"I'm sure they will," he told her, as he finished what he was doing. He looked on in accomplishment as the panels around her first flashed green, then red, and finally settled on white. She glanced around the room, finding another circle of panels a few feet away from hers. "Oh, that's mine," he told her, following her eyes. "Some extra insurance to make sure they will listen."

"Listen to what?" Alex asked, as her nausea abated somewhat.

"My plea for help," he told her as he made his way behind her. "The whole reason I'm doing this is to force them to help me." He finished whatever he was doing and circled back in front of her. "Now I need you to listen to me very carefully Alex," he told her, holding up an object Alex had never seen before. "These gauntlets are made from the strongest explosives known to man. They are programmed to detonate remotely." He started putting the devices on her arms and legs, with a larger device which he wrapped around her midsection. "I would never dream of pushing the button unless I had to, but they are still susceptible to shock. So please, stop moving around." Alex immediately stilled, partially from fear, but mostly because she didn't have enough strength to fight anymore.

"When they find me, they'll kill you," she promised as she glared at him.

"Not if they want you alive," he countered. He finished applying the bombs to her and went back behind her. He returned a few minutes later, carrying IV supplies and a few old-fashioned glass bottles. "Now this next part is the other thing I deeply regret," he told her as he began inserting the needles to veins in various parts of her body. Alex watched as he carefully attached the tubing, which was fine glass, not the traditional plastic. She cringed when he connected the tubing to the bottles but looked up again when nothing happened.

"What is that?" she asked, terrified when he secured the bottles to the chains holding her upright.

"I'm sorry, I haven't been completely honest with you," he told her as he finished preparing everything. "The surgery, the serum treatments. Those were just preparation for the procedure."

"What's the procedure?" Alex asked, her stomach choosing that moment to churn violently. He didn't answer. Instead he cleaned up after himself and retreated to his own little circle. He pulled out a remote from his pocket and pushed a button. Alex watched as his lights flashed three times then turned red. The same thing happened on the bombs that covered her.

"Please don't move," he told her when she automatically started struggling. "There's a small electromagnet keeping the acid from entering your system until the right time. If you struggle you run the risk of dislodging it."

"Acid?" she asked, stilling again. This time it was completely due to fear.

"This part of the procedure will be much more painful than the prep was. It will feel as though fiery lava is flowing through your veins, searing the very essence of yourself. Again, I speak from experience. I can offer you some morphine, but it will do little more than dull the first few seconds of the experience."

"You don't need to do this," she told him desperately. "If it's help from the DEO you want, I can make that happen. But only if you stop this right now."

"Moving words," he said tiredly, just as his computer started beeping. "But we are unfortunately out of time. Congratulations Agent Danvers. You're about to be rescued."


	5. Chapter 5

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"It's quiet," Supergirl said as she and J'onn landed outside the building. Maggie took a shaky step but pulled out her gun and focused on them. "Too quiet," Kara added.

"Can you see her?" Maggie asked. Kara tried to X-Ray the building but could only get the occasional glimpse.

"No. Something's blocking me."

"Lead," J'onn said after a beat. Kara frowned.

"But it's not like other lead lined buildings."

"That's because it's not lined," he told her, examining the area carefully. "It's processed here. Or at least it was in the past. It's a foundry."

"Years of lead dust in the air from the smelting," Kara nodded in understanding. "Probably melted into the very walls from the intense heat."

"Which means we proceed with caution," J'onn said, as he led the way to the main entrance. The two women followed him as they entered a spacious lobby. The up to date decor and the overall cleanliness told them that this foundry was still operational.

"Where is everybody?" Maggie asked as she pulled her gun. She was getting seriously creeped out from the silence. J'onn and Kara shared a look as they slowly made their way deeper into the factory.

"None of the machines are running," Kara commented quietly.

"Can you hear her heartbeat?" J'onn asked. Kara focused intently before shaking her head.

"I hear several heartbeats," Kara told them. "I can hear hers, but I can't tell which part of the building it's coming from."

"So it's a trap," Maggie said evenly.

"Probably," Kara agreed before turning to the detective. "It's not too late to turn back. The team from the DEO is already on their way."

"I know you were not just telling me to abandon the woman I love just to save my own skin," Maggie hissed. "Cause that's never going to happen." Kara smiled slightly before refocusing on the task. They cleared several more rooms before Kara stopped.

"I hear her," she said, bypassing several rooms and heading to the main smelting area. "Alex!" she called out desperately, completely forgetting that it was a trap as she rushed ahead.

"Supergirl!" J'onn growled as he and Maggie followed her quickly. "Wait!" They were only behind her by a minute as she busted into the room. They stopped next to the super hero, stunned at the sight before them.

"Supergirl," Alex breathed a sigh of relief, which quickly turned to worry. "It's a trap. Bombs." She tried to say more, but the nausea combined with the vertigo left her on the edge of consciousness once again.

"I'm going to get you out of here Alex," Kara cried, quickly looking for the bombs. But the lead residue was worse in here and she couldn't use her X-Ray vision at all. She simply decided to risk stepping on a bomb, not that it would kill her of course, and she made her way toward Alex.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She stopped at the voice and turned, seeing the man standing calmly for the first time. "This place is wired. Set to explode at the first sign of trouble. And while you might be able to escape before I push the button, even the girl of steel wouldn't be able to save all the innocent workers here." Kara tensed, her fist forming even though she knew this wasn't something she could punch.

"What do you want?" J'onn asked calmly, taking a few steps into the room as he surveyed the scene.

"Right now, just to talk," he said calmly. "And before you even think about it, there are bombs around me that are wired to blow at the faintest pressure. Or the tiniest hint of a breeze."

"I'm inclined to think that's a good thing," J'onn said, morphing into his Martian form. "If you think I have any qualms about killing you for what you've done to my agent you're sadly misinformed."

"I thought you might say that, which is why I've linked my bombs to hers. If you kill me, you kill her. And I don't think you will do that." J'onn glared at him, weighing his options when he heard Alex groan.

"Stop please," she said, forcing her eyes open, only to close them again when the room started spinning violently. Supergirl immediately went over to her, stopping just before the red plates. She could easily see the bombs under these.

"You want to talk," J'onn growled, heading toward the man. "Talk." He smiled.

"You will see a second set of bombs surrounding Alex." Kara growled at him, but her silence confirmed it to J'onn. "That ring is directly linked with rings surrounding all the support structures in the building. If you get to close, they will all explode, and everybody will die."

"Everybody?" Maggie asked, stepping out from the shadows.

"The workers," he elaborated. "I have them scattered throughout the facility. A few here. A few there. You may be able to save some, but the majority of them will die. Only if you try anything though."

"I don't want anyone to die," Maggie said, putting her gun slowly back in its holster. "Including you."

"I don't want anyone to die either," he admitted.

"What do you want?" Maggie asked, slowly walking toward him.

"I want the DEO to help me," he said simply.

"Done," J'onn said immediately. The unknown man smiled sadly.

"I wish it were that simple," he said knowingly. "I appreciate that you are so willing to offer me help, but others in your organization are not so gracious. They forced me to take this action. They forced me into this situation."

"What situation?" Maggie asked gently. "Nobody's here with us. This is all your doing. You can stop it whenever you want."

"I wish I could, but I am desperate," he said simply, bowing his head slightly. "I wasn't sure I was strong enough to carry out this part of the plan, so I made it automatic. As soon as you entered the room the countdown started." He hit a button. Behind Alex a timer sprang to life. "In eight minutes the next part of the plan will start, whether I want it to or not."

"No," Kara screamed, racing around her sister to the timer. She ripped it off the wall and tore it to shreds. When she didn't find anything, she looked to J'onn.

"That's just the countdown clock. The bells and whistles are in the bombs themselves," he said calmly, "and I wouldn't mess with them if I were you."

"What's the next part of your plan?" Maggie asked, forcing herself to keep calm.

"The bombs around the building will deactivate," he told them, "also the ones around me, and the ones Alex is wearing. But I have placed bombs throughout the city, which will activate. You will have ten seconds before the first one goes off. The bombs are on a cascading timer, with ten seconds between detonations. Deactivating the bomb will reveal the location of the next one, and so on and so on." He paused, regarding the super hero coolly. "Supergirl should be fast enough to disable all the bombs."

"I will be," she said smugly. He smiled.

"There will be a cost though. I'm sure you've noticed the… medicine Alex is hooked up to. It's set to release at the same times the bombs detonate. It won't kill her, at least I hope she's strong enough to survive, but it will be extremely painful. There will be a small window where you can rescue Alex before the acid flows, but if even one bomb detonates, they all go off. You can save the city, or you can save your agent." He checked his watch. "You have four minutes to decide." Kara stood there in shock. She felt like she had just been sucker punched.

"Supergirl," Alex cried out softly. Kara shared a quick look with J'onn before getting as close to her sister as she could.

"Alex," she cried desperately, reaching out her hand toward her sister.

"You can't let those bombs go off," Alex said, forcing down the nausea that had little to do with her stomach this time. "The city needs you."

"You need me," Kara countered.

"I'll be fine." She wavered slightly when the vertigo picked up but forced herself to focus on her sister. "He did the same thing to himself before. If that little imp of a man can survive this, you know badass Alex can."

"I love you," Kara whispered, staring intently at her sister. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes. I'll get you to the DEO. And I'll be holding your hand when you wake up."

"I know you will," Alex reassured her, holding her gaze as best she could.

"You have under a minute," the man called out, interrupting them. "I would start out now. We're pretty far from the city. I would hate for you to get stuck in traffic and miss the main event." Kara shot him a scathing look then shot out of the sky, leaving a large Supergirl sized hole in the side of the building.

"Where's the first bomb?" J'onn demanded. "And how does she disable them?" Maggie tuned them out, all her focus on her girlfriend. She stepped over to her, stopping just short of the bombs. Alex gasped as another wave of nausea passed through her.

"How do you get yourself into these situations Danvers?" Maggie asked softly.

"It's part of my skill set," Alex replied haltingly. Maggie jumped a little. She was sure she wouldn't get an answer.

"We need to get you better skills," Maggie joked. "Random massages or spontaneous acts of romance. You should focus more on those." Alex smiled, forcing her eyes open once more.

"I'll get right on that." Maggie smiled up at her. They shared a brief moment before Alex turned serious again.

"I need you to do something for me," she said seriously. "If I don't make it, you need to take care of her."

"You're going to make it," Maggie insisted, but Alex ignored her.

"She's going to blame herself, even though I told her to go after the bombs."

"Don't worry about her," Maggie insisted, her tears flowing despite her best efforts. "She's going to be fine. You're going to be fine and you will make sure she's fine." They were interrupted when the lights around Alex started flashing red. J'onn yelled the first location to Supergirl during which Maggie heard a solid thump from their mystery guest. All that was inconsequential, though, because the first seal had been broken. Acid was starting to flow towards her lover.

"I love you Maggie," Alex breathed out, knowing exactly what was happening. "Will you marry me?" But before Maggie could answer, the acid had reached Alex's veins. She tried to hold back her scream, she really did, but it felt like she was being burned at the stake. She managed to lock eyes with Maggie until the second seal was broken. Then all she knew was pain.

Maggie could only watch in terror as her lover's strung up body began to convulse, the pain clear to see on her face, her screams echoing throughout the building. It seemed like forever that she was helpless to do anything but watch, while in reality it was barely over a minute. She heard the whoosh of Kara returning, but the Kryptonian didn't even stop. She simply flew in, grabbed her sister without even slowing down, and flew out again. She didn't stop until she was in the DEO medbay, handing her sister over to the waiting team.

It took Maggie a few seconds to realize Alex was no longer with them. When she did, the world came rushing back. She heard sirens and realized the DEO team was finally there. She heard J'onn issue orders before standing next to her. "Ready?" he asked as he grabbed her securely. He didn't even wait for her nod before they were flying. They landed at the DEO minutes after Kara. Kara turned to look at them with tears in her eyes just as Alex's heart stopped.

"Charge the paddles," Dr. Hamilton's voice rang out. "Clear." That was all that Maggie could take. Her last sight was the medical staff trying to save her girlfriend before darkness took her.

* * *

Maggie awoke to the sound of beeping. Annoyed, she automatically moved to turn of the alarm, but was stopped short when she couldn't move her hand. Her eyes shot open in panic. "Easy." She immediately calmed at the familiar voice, her eyes finding J'onn quickly. She smiled slightly before taking in the rest of the room. She had been here enough times in the past to easily recognize it, though usually she was waiting for someone else to wake up. The DEO med bay.

"J'onn," she said quietly, trying to get up again. She still couldn't move her hand though. She followed her arm down, her eyes softening at the sight of a sleeping Kara holding her hand firmly. Kara was also holding Alex's hand, positioning herself in just the right spot to be able to join the two women together.

"She's been like that for hours," J'onn said, following her gaze again. "She nearly blew out her powers, she was flying so fast. She refused to leave, even to go lay under the solar lamps. Once the med team had stabilized Alex, she demanded you be brought up here too, just so she wouldn't have to leave either one of you. Once you were both settled, she grabbed both your hands then crashed."

"That's so Kara," Maggie told him as she tried to put the last few pieces together. The last coherent thought she had was Alex asking her to marry her. "Alex!" She jumped, which alerted Kara that she was awake. Kara blinked a few times, her eyes automatically traveling to her sister before they settled on Maggie.

"Maggie," Kara said, giving Maggie a gentle hug. "I'm so glad to see you awake. You have no idea how worried I was."

"How's Alex?" she asked, sitting up straighter so she could see her girlfriend. "What happened?"

"Alex is stable," J'onn said carefully. "They're still trying to figure out exactly what he did to her, but whatever it was, it screwed her system up."

"Her heart and lungs will just stop, without any warning," Kara told them. "Then after a minute they'll just start up again. They're worried something similar is happening with her brain, as well as other organs." As if she heard them talking about her, the beeping suddenly changed to a shrill note. The med team rushed in, ready for action, but while the paddles were charging, her heart started beating again. Slowly at first, but soon it was beating at a normal rhythm. "See what I mean?"

"Scary," Maggie said as she pushed herself off the bed. The room spun for a minute, but quickly calmed down. "Why am I in here?"

"That would be a simple case of not taking care of yourself Detective," Dr. Hamilton said as she entered the room. She ignored them completely, instead checking the monitors around Alex. "Dehydration. Exhaustion. Malnourishment. Do any of those sound familiar?" She finished making her notes and turned to glare at the detective.

"I'm sorry," Maggie started apologetically, "I was just…"

"Worried?" the doctor finished for her. "We all were. But we took care of ourselves knowing we would need our strength to take care of her." Maggie hung her head in shame. "You were running that last mission on adrenaline," she continued, "and when it faded so did you. Now, if you were a member of the DEO, I would have you strapped down to a bed with a feeding tube, shoving as many chicken nuggets into you as I could. Fortunately for you, you do not work here so I can't carry out my evil plan. Unfortunately for you, I always have a backup plan." Hamilton took a step closer to the bed. "Meet your new babysitter, Supergirl." Kara smiled at her brightly.

"What?" Maggie protested, shaking her head. "No. I do not need a babysitter."

"From where I'm standing you do," J'onn said sharply.

"I'll make sure she takes care of herself," Kara promised. Dr. Hamilton nodded and left the room. J'onn followed her out.

"I'm sure you're needed somewhere else," Maggie grumbled, but Kara just shook her head.

"I don't care," she said seriously. "I don't care if there's a fire, or a convenience store gets robbed, or even if there's an explosion and a thousand people need my help. Right now, none of them mean more to me than you and Alex."

"You don't mean that," Maggie said softly, seeing the tears streaming down Kara's face.

"I do," Kara insisted firmly. "I saved the city at the expense of my sister. If she dies, that will be the last thing Supergirl ever does." Maggie didn't know how to respond to that, so she simply pulled Kara into her embrace. They stayed like that until the growling of Maggie's stomach reminded them why they were here. "Here's what's going to happen," Kara said, as she pulled out of the embrace. She tried for stern, but Maggie could easily see how worried she was on the inside. "I'm not going to try to make you leave, because you know I'm not leaving, but I can run out and grab some food for you, as long as you promise to eat it as soon as I'm back."

"One condition," Maggie countered. Kara looked at her wearily. "You grab some for yourself too. I promised Alex I would take care of you until she was able to do it herself. If you're taking care of me it seems only fair I take care of you."

"That sounds reasonable," Kara agreed, relieved Maggie wasn't going to fight her over this. At least not yet. "So, what do you want for dinner?" Maggie shrugged.

"Surprise me," she said, admitting to herself that nothing sounded appetizing at the moment. Kara nodded and raced out of the room. Maggie took the opportunity to move closer to her girlfriend. "Hey," she reached out and grabbed her hand as she leaned over and placed a quick kiss in her lips. "Anytime you want to wake up and take your sister back is okay with me. If you don't wake up soon, we might end up killing each other. It's only been ten minutes and I'm already ready to strangle her." She leaned over, placing another, longer kiss on Alex's lips. "Please come back to me babe."

When Kara came back into the room twenty minutes later, she saw Maggie asleep in her chair, her head lying precariously over Alex's heart. Kara's heart melted at the scene. She put the Chinese food into the fridge, knowing she could instantly warm it up later, and gently moved the detective's head to a more acceptable position next to Alex instead of on her. Then she grabbed the second chair on the other side of the bed and continued her vigil.

* * *

AN: In case anyone is interested, the scene with Alex captured and Kara needing to choose her or the city is what prompted this fic. Of course, I had to figure out how we got to that scene, and where it went from there. The scene is so early in the story, I thought it would be a quick little fluff piece. Boy was I wrong.

Also, I'm kinda exploring the idea of 'the one'. We all know Superman would do anything for Lois, including letting the world burn as long as she was safe, but who is Kara's one? I think it's Alex. I love their sisterly bond, and I think it's deeper than any romantic relationship either of them have or will ever have. Anyway, enough of my ramblings. On to the next chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I should point out that I have no medical training in any way, shape, or form. Putting a bandaid on an owwie is about the extent of my medical ability. Normally, I would try to research any medical procedure I use in my stories, to get them as realistic as possible, but I didn't do that this time. I put in 'ways to treat radioactive spider bites' and my search engine started laughing at me. This leads to one of the things I both love, and hate, about this genre. Nothing needs to be based in reality. As such, any medical procedures in this story are completely made up. Don't try them at home, or at least, don't tell anyone where you got the idea.

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Oh Alex." Kara bolted upright at the unexpected voice. She turned behind her to find Eliza Danvers staring at her daughter. Kara moved out of the way and Eliza quickly made her way to her side.

"You called our mother?" Kara asked, shooting J'onn a disbelieving look.

"Dr. Hamilton did," J'onn admitted.

"The question is, young lady, why didn't you call?" Eliza shot Kara a quick glare before refocusing on her oldest. She grabbed her hand and gave a little squeeze while she stroked Alex's cheek with her other hand. "Alex? I'm here now. Everything is going to be fine." She stared at Alex intently before catching movement out of the corner of her eye. "Maggie."

"Dr. Danvers," Maggie answered back, giving the older woman a small smile. Eliza noticed her hand never left Alex's.

"She's going to be okay," she reassured her. "She's tough."

"Tough as nails," Maggie agreed, her gaze drifting back down to Alex's pale face. Eliza smiled again, before focusing on the readouts surrounding her. Her smile turned to a frown. "This can't be right."

"That's what I said," Dr. Hamilton said as she joined the group.

"Dr. Hamilton asked for some assistance," J'onn explained to everybody. "Dr. Danvers has medical skills pertinent to this case, and she has already been read into the DEO. I approved her temporary assignment."

"So we still don't know what's wrong with her?" Kara asked, moving closer and putting her hand on Alex's shoulder. It had been two days and Alex had yet to give any sign of waking up. "Can't you read his mind?"

"I've tried," J'onn admitted. "He's blocking me somehow. I've even tried the old-fashioned way of interrogation. He said the time's not right yet. He won't talk to me until he sees Alex."

"That is not going to happen," Kara said sternly, just as Alex's body began to shake.

"Seizures?" Eliza asked, moving her hands away from Alex but not stepping away. She was torn between watching her daughter and watching the monitor.

"They started about an hour ago," Dr. Hamilton informed her, moving closer to the bed in case she was needed. "Petite. Hardly more than shivers. So far they haven't given us any troubles." As if she heard them talking, Alex calmed back down. Both Dr. Hamilton and Eliza studied the readouts intently.

"Bloodwork?" Eliza asked.

"Clean," Dr. Hamilton told her. "No known viruses or bacterial agents. No drugs or known synthetic agents. There were trace amounts of an unidentified compound in her blood when she came in, but it was gone by the second round."

"Her body metabolized it," Eliza said, looking at her daughter again. She frowned when she saw needle marks on her neck. Looking closer, she saw similar marks on both sides of her neck and upper arms. "What was she given?" She turned to look at Dr. Hamilton when the room suddenly went quiet. "What was she given?" she asked again, leveling her a stern look.

"She was injected with varying concentrations of hydrochloric acid," J'onn admitted quietly. Eliza paled and turned to look at her daughter.

"Did you," she faltered, forcing back the tears that had formed, "did you perform a genetic analysis?" She cupped her daughter's cheek once more. Hydrochloric acid would be eating her from the inside out.

"We did," Dr. Hamilton confirmed. "The results were like nothing I've ever seen. That's when I asked to bring you in." Eliza nodded.

"Did they do anything else to her?" she asked quietly.

"There was another injection site near her spinal column," Dr. Hamilton told her, "and there is a small incision at the base of her skull." Eliza carefully lifted her daughter's head to look. She let out a small gasp at the sight, but the wound looked to be healing well. No signs of infection were present. She let her eyes drift lower, to her neck and upper back. The puncture mark was easy to see. It was red, and slightly swollen, but it also was healing nicely.

"The acid?" she asked as she laid her daughter back down.

"Trace amounts in her blood," Dr. Hamilton informed her. "We took a sample of her spinal fluid for analysis as well. It shows trace amounts." Eliza frowned.

"The human body doesn't metabolize hydrochloric acid. It either eats its way through the body or is neutralized by something. Maybe he didn't inject her with as much as you thought."

"No," Maggie said, turning her tear stained face their direction. "She wasn't just injected with a syringe full. He took bottles and he poured this crap straight into her veins." Eliza frowned in confusion. She was about to respond when an alarm sounded. Maggie and Kara quickly pulled back from the bed. Kara pulled a worried Eliza with her. Seconds later the bed was surrounded by the med team.

"O2 stats are falling," the team leader, Doctor Young, said as he checked the monitors, completely oblivious to everyone in the room. "Prepare the mask."

"Copy. Preparing the mask." A nurse quickly stepped to the head of the bed and began preparing the oxygen mask for use. "Mask prepared," she informed him.

"Copy," he said, his eyes never leaving the readings. "C'mon Danvers. You don't really want me to put you in that thing, do you?" He waited a few seconds, but her levels continued to drop. "Switch to the mask."

"Switching to the mask." The nurse quickly changed out the nasal cannula for the complete oxygen mask. "Oxygen is flowing," she reported seconds later.

"Copy." The young doctor watched the stats carefully. "She's stabilizing, but not quickly enough for me. Start bagging."

"Copy. Bagging." The nurse started forcing the air into her lungs, squeezing the bag at a steady rate. The young doctor frowned.

"Prepare intubation," he ordered. A second nurse started getting the equipment they would need ready. "Okay Danvers. You might not mind the mask, but I'm sure you don't want me sticking a tube down your throat. No? Well then you've got to do your part and start breathing again."

"We're ready to intubate," the second nurse told him.

"C'mon Danvers. Don't make me do this." Everybody in the room was staring at the readout.

"O2 stats are stabilizing," the first nurse said, never breaking her squeezing motions.

"That's it Danvers," the team leader encouraged her. "Just a little more." A minute later he turned the nurse. "Stop bagging."

"Copy, stopping bagging," she replied as she stopped forcing air into her lungs. They watched as Alex's levels continued to rise, a smile on all their faces.

"Switch out the mask."

"Copy," the nurse said as she began removing the heavy mask. She quickly had a new nasal cannula in place. Meanwhile, the team leader turned to the other nurse.

"Make a note on Agent Danvers's chart," he told him calmly, "and then inform Dr. Hamilton of the incident."

"That last one has already been done," Dr. Hamilton spoke up from the rear of the room, causing the med team to jump. "Well done, Dr. Young. Nurse Jones and Nurse Ramirez."

"Thank you, Ma'am," they all blurted out at once. They finished cleaning up after themselves and quietly left the room. Eliza quickly made her way to her daughter's side, glancing at the monitors several times before she was satisfied.

"She's really been keeping my med team on their toes," Dr. Hamilton said, moving closer and putting a hand on Eliza's arm. "Take a minute. When you're ready join me in the labs." Eliza nodded before staring at Kara.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Part of the reason you're here," J'onn said quietly. "It appears that her organs are randomly shutting down then restarting."

"It's really scary when her heart stops," Kara said, reaching over and grabbing her hand. "It's just pumping away and then boom. Nothing."

"Oh sweetie," Eliza said, reaching around for Kara. She pulled her into a tight hug. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"I will be when she is," Kara admitted. Eliza looked at her in concern. "I'm fine. I've even got my own babysitter." She waved to Maggie, who smiled back. "Alex needs you."

"Okay," Eliza conceded. "But if you need me, you only need to ask." She pulled Kara into a hug and shot a glance at the detective. "Either of you."

"Thank you," Maggie whispered. Eliza nodded before pulling out of the hug. She shot one more look to Alex before leaving the room. "Here that babe? They brought in the heavy hitters. You gotta be okay now." She leaned over and gave her girlfriend another kiss on the lips. "Fight for me."

* * *

Alex groaned silently as consciousness came streaming back. She tried to open her eyes but discovered that was just too much work. She tried to remember what had happened, but she only had a vague memory of pain. Lots and lots of pain. There was something before the pain though. Something important.

"Maggie," she cried, bolting upright. Or at least she tried. Her cry got lost somewhere in her throat, and the most movement she could do was a small twitch of her pinky. It was nowhere enough to get the attention of anyone in the room, and she didn't have enough energy to try again, so she tried listening.

"I can't believe they're letting him get away," Kara huffed in annoyance. To which Maggie chuckled.

"He is a drug lord."

"That's no reason to let him walk."

"He does outnumber them twenty to one."

"But they have guns."

"They have pistols with six bullets," she corrected the Kryptonian. "The drug dealers have semi-automatic weapons, heavy artillery, and assault rifles." Maggie laughed again. "I even think I saw a tank around there somewhere."

"Okay," Kara admitted, "maybe retreat is the right move."

"Don't worry little Danvers. I'm sure they'll catch him in the end."

"Heroes always win, right?" Kara grinned at Maggie. "Should we watch the next one?" No way were they having a Netflix marathon without her.

"Haven't you girls watched enough?" Alex instinctively bolted upright at the unexpected voice, but once again she was only able to get the tiniest bit of movement from her pinky. She focused on her voice, trying to get anything out. It didn't have to be much. With Kara's super hearing she could hear anything, even a voice softer than a whisper. She tried to say their names again. Kara. Maggie. Anything.

"We've only watched one seas…" Kara abruptly stopped. "Alex?" All the talking in the room stopped. Alex felt a slight breeze around her, then warm fingers grabbed her hand. "Alex? Can you hear me?" She tried to move but was exhausted again.

"Hey babe," Maggie said, grabbing her other hand and stroking her cheek. "It's about time you joined this party. It's for you after all."

"Her fingers twitched," Kara said excitedly.

"That's it Alex," Maggie encouraged. "Come back to me. Let me see those pretty eyes." She focused all her energy into opening her eyes, which she managed to accomplish for a fraction of a second. But before she was able to focus on anything, she felt herself going back under.

* * *

The next time she surfaced, it was quiet. She could hear the beeping of a heart monitor, probably hers she thought, and the quiet sounds of breathing. Someone was grasping her hand, but the grip had loosened, almost like they were asleep. She curled her fingers, something that was much easier this time.

"Wha?" Maggie's sleep filled voice answered her silent call. Alex curled them again. "Alex?" Maggie was instantly awake. Alex felt her hand being squeezed. She squeezed back.

"Okay, a vegetable stir fry for you," Kara said, breezing into the room with bags of food.

"I think she's waking up," Maggie threw over her shoulder. Alex heard soft thuds as the bags hit the floor, the food completely forgotten.

"Alex?" Kara cried out, grabbing her hand. Alex reflexively squeezed. "C'mon Alex. You can do it."

"C'mon babe," Maggie encouraged. "Time to join the land of the living again." Alex groaned at the joke, surprised when she actually made sound. Maggie and Kara kept up constant encouragements and Alex found her eyelids not as heavy as they were before. After a few minutes she opened her eyes, blinking in the dim light as she tried to get the room to focus.

"There you are," Maggie said, a big smile on her face. Alex tried to turn her head towards her girlfriend, but quickly decided that was a bad idea when waves of pain crashed through her. She immediately closed her eyes. "Easy. Take it easy. Don't try to move just yet." After a few minutes the pain receded. Alex forced her eyes open once more, moving her eyes so she was focusing on Maggie.

"Hey," she slurred after a few minutes when Maggie finally came into focus. She tried a small smile, happy when that small action didn't send any pain.

"Hey back," Maggie whispered, tears forming in her eyes. She gripped Alex's hand, happy at the resulting squeeze.

"Don't you ever do that to me again," Kara cried, from the other side of the bed. Alex shifted her eyes, focusing on her sister.

"Sorry," she tried to say, but the words got stuck in her throat again. She swallowed dryly.

"Here," Kara said, holding a cup of water in front of Alex that wasn't there a second ago. Alex frowned, a half-formed memory of sipping water with a churning stomach flashing through her head. But eventually the thirst won out. Kara maneuvered the straw gently, letting Alex have a few sips. "Easy. Go slow." Alex tried but the water was just so good. She eagerly slurped up as much as she could, which wasn't all that much if she were honest with herself, until Kara pulled it away. She collapsed back into the bed, exhausted.

"How do you feel?" Maggie asked, as she stroked Alex's arm. Alex smiled at the sensation.

"Fine," she replied dopily, trying to keep her eyes open. Maggie smiled.

"And I didn't think they had you on the good drugs yet." Alex grinned, shifting her eyes to her once more. She blinked slowly, trying to keep them open. Trying to keep them trained on Maggie. "It's okay babe. I know you're tired. You can close your eyes. I'll be here when you wake up." Alex nodded imperceptibly, her eyes closing against her will.

* * *

The next time she woke up, she caught the tail end of a news report. "Still no sign of Supergirl. National City trembles in fear." She opened her eyes to see her sister and her girlfriend watching the broadcast silently. She heard a click as the TV was turned off.

"You should get back out there," Maggie said.

"No," Kara countered. "National City is just fine without me."

"We've had this discussion before," Maggie insisted. "I know you miss it." Kara sighed heavily. Alex decided that was the perfect time to announce herself.

"What discussion?" She tried for strong, but her voice came out raspy. But she still had a voice. The two women turned simultaneously.

"Hey babe," Maggie smiled, approaching quickly. She quickly gave Alex a hug, then pulled back so Kara could do the same thing.

"How are you feeling?" Kara asked, straightening up. "And before you say fine, you should know I am prepared to drop you off a hundred-foot cliff to get you to tell us the truth."

"Okay," Alex smirked as Kara frowned, before she shot an amused look Maggie's way. Maggie rolled her eyes.

"Truth Danvers," she ordered. Alex smiled again before turning serious. She closed her eyes and did a self-inspection.

"Everything hurts, but not so bad," she admitted, opening her eyes and focusing on Maggie again. "I just ache, kinda like your whole-body aches after a bad bout with the flu."

"Oh, I remember that day," Kara chimed in. "It was a horrible feeling."

"Day?" Maggie asked, a smirk playing on her lips. "She had the flu for a day and she's an expert on it?"

"Less than a day, actually," Alex chimed in, teasing her sister. "But to be fair she broke her arm that day too. It was a pretty horrible day." She turned to Kara. "Can I have some water?" She had barely finished the sentence when a cup was in front of her. "Thanks." She took a hesitant sip, then after a minute drank the entire thing. Kara happily refilled it for her, again and again.

"Thirsty?" Maggie asked as Alex finished her sixth cup.

"Water helps," she said as Kara brought her another. She was halfway through before her thirst was slated.

"Helps with what?" Kara asked, exchanging a quick glance with Maggie. Alex shrugged.

"Helps keep you hydrated," she said, handing the half full cup back to her sister. "What happened?" The two women shared a look.

"We were hoping you could tell us," Maggie said cautiously. "What do you remember?"

"It's all kind of blurry," she admitted, scrunching her eyes together in thought. "I think I might have been hallucinating a bit too, because I thought I heard mom's voice." Kara suddenly turned sheepish, staring at the door in horror.

"Do you girls want some lunch?" Eliza asked, staring at a menu in her hands. "I can call in the order and J'onn said he can have someone pick it up for us." She looked up when there was no answer. It took her a minute to realize what she was seeing. "Alex?" she exclaimed, lunch forgotten as she rushed toward her child. "Oh Alex." She engulfed her in a huge hug, pulling her tight against her chest. Alex was frozen in shock, but eventually her arms raised, returning the hug. "Why didn't you two let me know?" she asked angrily, shooting evil glances at Maggie and Kara.

"We were about to," Kara backpedaled quickly. Eliza sighed deeply.

"Of course you were," she said as she laid Alex back down. She reached over and hit the call button. A minute later a nurse walked in.

"Is everything alright?" she asked wearily, before noticing Alex was awake. She brightened immediately. "It's good to see you awake Agent Danvers. I'll let Dr. Hamilton know."

"Thank you," she called out as the nurse left the room. "How are you feeling sweetie?"

"Fine," Alex replied, looking between her mother, her girlfriend, and her sister. "What are you doing here mom?"

"Assisting me," Dr. Hamilton said as she strode into the room. "Welcome back, Agent Danvers." She looked at the other women in the room. "Now if you'll please step outside, I need to examine my patient." Maggie and Kara patted Alex comfortingly before leaving, while Eliza leaned down and kissed her forehead. Nobody went very far though, the three women gathered right outside the door.

"Have you learned anything else Eliza?" Kara asked, trying to peer around the doorframe.

"No sweetie," Eliza told them. "And stop using your X-Ray vision." Kara frowned, but turned around, leaning against the wall. "The latest scans show her genetic code is nearly back to normal, but that raises more questions than it answers."

"But that's good, right?" Maggie asked. "At least her heart isn't randomly shutting down anymore. And she seemed pretty normal to me, so I think she avoided brain damage."

"Which is good," Eliza admitted, relieved beyond words that her child was improving, "but DNA doesn't just repair itself. Not like that. At least not human DNA."

"Still nothing from the man that took her?" Kara asked. Eliza shook her head.

"He still says the time isn't right. He still won't tell us anything, not even his name. J'onn tried to read him again, but he is still being blocked. He still can't figure out why." They all looked up when the door opened.

"Everything looks good," Dr. Hamilton said, placing the stethoscope back around her neck. "She's a little sensitive to light and sounds, but that's to be expected with extended unconsciousness. She is still weak, though, and she needs as much sleep as she can get, whether she agrees or not." They nodded in understanding. "She's asking for you Kara. And Maggie."

"It's almost like she didn't even want me to know she was kidnapped," Eliza quipped as she and Dr. Hamilton made their way back to the labs. Maggie and Kara shared a knowing look. They opened the door quietly, in case Alex had fallen back asleep, and tiptoed across the room. Her eyes were closed, and they let out soft sighs of relief.

"Who called her?" Alex demanded, causing them both to jump.

"Dr. Hamilton needed her expertise," Maggie said. Alex sighed and opened her eyes.

"Kara?" Alex called. Kara hurried over, reaching for the chair. But Alex grabbed her hand. "Gimme a sec," she said, slowly shifting to one side of the bed.

"Alex? I don't think," Kara started, only to be shushed by her sister. Once Alex shifted enough, she grabbed Kara's hands and pulled her onto the empty edge. Once she realized what Alex wanted, she quickly but gently climbed into bed with her sister, cuddling close to her side.

"What's going on with you?" Alex asked quietly. Kara looked at her in confusion. "I saw the news report. No sign of Supergirl? That's not like you. What's going on?"

"I don't know if I can do it anymore," Kara admitted.

"You love it," Alex countered. "You were born to do it."

"I can't do it," Kara cried, "not if the people I love get hurt because of it."

"What?" Alex asked, now the confused one. Kara frowned.

"Why else would he have targeted you?" Kara asked quietly. "If not to get to me."

"It was't you he was after," Alex said. "He was after the DEO. The bombs were just a way to keep you busy so he could finish what he started."

"How do you know?" Kara asked. "Do you remember?" Alex shook her head.

"Just bits and pieces that really don't make any sense," she admitted, "but I know I'm right. I don't know how I know, but I know." Kara nodded. "Now, I know you love being Supergirl, and helping people is in your blood. I want you to know, even if something happens to me I will always be proud of you. But I understand if it's too much. I will support whatever you decide, okay."

"Okay," Kara sniffled. Alex smiled then sniffed the air.

"Now, I think one of us needs a shower, and I can't really tell who right now." Kara smiled. "Why don't you go back to your apartment? Take a shower. Eat some real food. Sleep in a real bed."

"How do you know?" Kara asked.

"Because I'd be doing the same thing if it was you in this bed," she said, "except I wouldn't call our mother."

"It wasn't me," Kara protested as she climbed out of the bed. "I'll be back later tonight," she promised, kissing Alex on the cheek. After she left, Alex found Maggie. She raised her hand, which was all the other woman needed to climb into bed.

"Oh God, I was so scared," Maggie confessed as she held Alex as tightly as she dared. "Don't you ever do anything like this again."

"Mags," Alex said softly, "please tell me the truth. How long?"

"Two weeks," she said quietly, leaning over to kiss her girlfriend.

"Two weeks," Alex parroted. "I've been gone for two weeks." Maggie slowly shook her head.

"No babe," she said, bringing their joined hands up and lightly kissing the back of Alex's hand. "Two weeks ago we rescued you. You've been unconscious for two weeks."

"What?" Alex asked, having a hard time understanding. "Then how long?"

"You were kidnapped over a month ago," Maggie told her, tears streaming down her face. She watched as Alex tried to process the information. "What do you need baby?"

"Hold me," Alex said, letting her vulnerability out briefly. Maggie nodded as she held her lover as they both cried. She didn't let go when Alex finally slept again. She didn't even let go when she finally succumbed to her own exhaustion.


	7. Chapter 7

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Alex!" Kara chastised when she saw her sister walking down the hall. "You're supposed to be resting."

"I did rest. I'm very rested," she said, slipping into her lab. Kara frowned but followed her. "I'm going out of my mind resting." She powered on the computer before turning to her sister. "Nice outfit." Kara had on her Supergirl suit.

"Back at ya," Kara countered. Alex blushed. She was still wearing her hospital gown. At least she had managed to find a robe and some slippers.

"They hid all of my clothes," Alex whined, heading deeper into her lab. "I checked my locker and nothing. My backup set in the gear room, gone. I'm hoping they didn't find my extra emergency set I keep here." She opened the bottom drawer of her filing cabinet, only to find it empty. She stood up, glaring at her sister. "You didn't."

"Eliza made me," she grinned. "And before you start looking, I also have you extra, extra emergency set, your 'world just ended' emergency set, and all three of the 'what the crap did that alien cover me in' sets."

"You've turned evil," Alex hissed as she sat down at her computer.

"Sorry," Kara said, sounding anything but sorry. "Eliza scares me more than you do. Besides, you're supposed to be resting." Alex huffed.

"Let me just check my emails," she negotiated, "unless you can convince Winn to lend me one of his tablets."

"I think there's a greater chance of you actually getting the one set of clothes I left for you." Alex's eyes brightened. "It's in Dr. Hamilton's office. As soon as she gives the okay, they're yours."

"You're not just evil," Alex said, turning back to her computer. "You're diabolical." Alex opened her email, dismayed when she saw over two hundred messages waiting for her. As the computer slowly started loading them, she turned to her sister. "So, you're going back out there?"

"Slowly," Kara admitted. "I just finished an interview with Ms. Grant. I even stopped to get a cat out of a tree on the way back."

"And the world is safe once again," Alex remarked, starting in on her emails. "How did Cat seem?"

"She was furious," Kara told her, sitting down on a stool opposite Alex. "She said, and I quote, 'How dare you disappear for weeks without telling me beforehand.' And then I tried to tell her what happened, but she cut me off. She calmed down when I finally managed to tell her what did happened, in a very vague sort of way. Then she said the issue was not with my disappearing, it was disappearing without letting her know. It's almost like she thinks she's…"

"Your boss?" Alex finished for her, smirking. "She kinda is."

"No," Kara stood and started to pace. "I'm not her assistant anymore. She does not get to control my life."

"Your life," Alex countered, "or Supergirls? Let's face it. Cat Grant has been controlling Supergirl ever since she first rescued my plane."

"She has not," Kara immediately disagreed. Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Did you give an interview to any of the other hundred reporters that asked?" Kara stopped mid pace. "She might not control you, but she does influence you, both of you. And I think you're better because of her."

"Maybe," Kara conceded, frowning when Alex moved to another part of her lab. "No," she nearly shouted when Alex headed toward her lab equipment. She grabbed her sister's hand before she could turn on any more equipment. "You said check your emails."

"And I did," Alex protested, "but it didn't take nearly as much time as I hoped."

"Don't make me put my foot down," Kara crossed her arms over her chest, acting as stern as she could.

"Please." Alex started pouting.

"Not the pouty face," Kara started chanting. "Not the pouty face." Alex grinned, feeling her sister's resolve crumbling. She flashed her pouty face one more time before her sister backed down. "Not fair. You know I can't say no to the pouty face."

"I know," Alex smirked. She reached around her sister to power up her machines when a stern voice froze her in her tracks.

"Alexandra Danvers!" Eliza stood in the doorway of her lab, arms crossed. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Crap," Alex whispered, letting her arm drop, before facing her mother. "I was just…"

"Marching straight back up to your room and climbing into your bed," her mother finished for her. "Where you will stay until Dr. Hamilton releases you."

"But I'm fine," Alex whined even as she started walking slowly toward her mother.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember asking your opinion on the matter," Eliza barked, stepping aside so Alex could leave. She fell into step behind her, Kara behind them.

"Mom," Alex whined again.

"No young lady," Eliza wasn't budging. "You will stay in bed until I say so. And if I catch you out of bed again, I will ask J'onn for a pair of restrains." Kara smirked, which earned her a glare. "And why in the world would you help her Kara? I thought I raised you better than that."

"I didn't help," Kara said defensively, her smirk now completely gone. "I found her."

"Of course you did," Eliza said, sounding totally unconvinced. "Go change Kara. I think it's time for a family night. You girls are getting completely out of hand."

"What?" Alex asked, freaking out as her mother followed her into her room. "We really don't need a family night."

"Of course we do," Eliza stated. "Unless you're too tired."

"Way tired," Alex agreed, throwing in a fake yawn for good measure. She quickly climbed into bed. "I'm just gonna crash."

"Don't let me stop you," Eliza said, sitting down and holding her daughter's hand tightly. Alex sighed, closing her eyes to fake sleep. A few minutes later her breathing evened out in real sleep. Eliza smiled.

"That was mean," Kara said quietly, already changed and leaning on the doorframe. She was impressed to find her sister sleeping already. "How did you know she would sleep?"

"She's still exhausted," Eliza replied, just as quietly, "even if she refuses to admit it. Her body can't have gone through everything it did without expending most, if not all of its energy. And until she starts really eating again." Kara sighed, glancing over at the bowl of broth sitting on Alex's rollaway table. Dr. Hamilton agreed to try liquid food, but Alex was able to only take a few spoonfuls before pushing it away. "How are you doing sweetie?" Eliza asked, looking at Kara.

"Fine," Kara said dismissively. Eliza frowned.

"Are you ready to go back out there?"

"I don't know," Kara admitted, stepping into the room. "I do miss helping people, but every time I do, I am always thinking what if something goes wrong here and I don't make it back in time? We still have no idea what he did to her, except mess with her genetic code somehow. What if she suddenly turns into a big puddle of Alex goop and I'm not here?"

"The Alex goop puddle is extremely improbable," Eliza said, smiling at her youngest. "But I know what you're feeling. I felt it too. The first time she left for college. When you decided to follow her to National City. Every time Jeremiah walked out that door. It's called worry. And it's completely normal."

"How do you stop it?" Kara asked, wiping her moist eyes.

"You don't. But you can't let worry run your life. If I did, we never would have gotten you." Kara smiled at her, then waved her down when she started to stand.

"No, you stay. You've barely spent any time with her. Besides, I have a story I need to finish by tomorrow." She made her way to the door. "Goodnight Eliza."

"Goodnight Kara," she called out, before turning to her oldest. "Just you and me now sweetie," she said, before laying her head down on her daughter's bed. She didn't realize just how exhausted she was until sleep claimed her.

* * *

"Danvers! What are you doing here?" Alex didn't look up from her computer as she finished typing a report.

"Working, Sir," she said.

"I don't recall you being cleared," J'onn said, stepping further into her lab. Alex rolled her eyes.

"With all due respect, Sir, I'm fine."

"I believe I have the final say on that." Alex froze at the unexpected voice. She looked up sheepishly to find Dr. Hamilton standing next to J'onn. "I released you from Med Bay to go home and rest."

"I did," Alex protested, suddenly getting angry with them. "I rested for six days in that damn hospital bed, even though there was nothing wrong with me. I rested for two weeks at home, with Maggie, Kara, and my mother all babying me. If I rest any more I will go insane. Besides. I am fine!" She shouted this last part, stomping her foot for added effect, but they just looked at her in concern. Usually, an angry Alex Danvers had people running in the other direction. She felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Unless there's something you're not telling me?" The two exchanged glances and Alex knew she was onto something.

"We still don't know exactly what he did for sure," Dr. Hamilton told her, but she was sick of hearing that answer. That's what she heard every time she asked.

"What do you know for sure?" she asked, almost growling at them. They shared another look before J'onn stepped forward.

"He performed some sort of procedure." Alex suddenly had a flashback. A kindly man holding out a cup of water.

"My greatest regret is inflicting the procedure on someone else." Alex shook her head, feeling a cold sweat erupt all over her body. She sank back onto her stool slowly. This was the first solid memory of her abduction she had. She closed her eyes, feeling the memory fade away.

"Alex?" She opened her eyes, looking directly into the concerned face of J'onn.

"What did he do to me?" she asked weakly.

"He tampered with your genetic code," Dr. Hamilton said softly. Alex jumped when she realized the woman was kneeling down next to her, holding her hand while simultaneously checking her pulse. "We don't know how or what he hoped to achieve."

"That's why my mother was here," Alex said, some of the pieces starting to fall into place. "Why everyone has been keeping such a close eye on me." She reached up a hand she didn't realize was shaking and wiped away a tear.

"Yes," J'onn admitted, studying the woman he thought of as a daughter carefully. "Did you just remember something?"

"Maybe," Alex conceded. "I don't know. I thought I did, but then it just faded. Just like everything else." J'onn continued to stare at her. She smiled. "You can read me." J'onn's eyes glowed as he focused on her, but after a minute he shook his head.

"Random thoughts and pain," he said, rising to his feet. A minute later Alex calmed down and Dr. Hamilton joined him. Alex huffed in frustration.

"Why would Storm do this to me," she asked out loud.

"Who?" J'onn asked, giving her his full attention.

"Storm," Alex repeated, unsure where the name came from but certain it was the one she needed. "Dr. Nicholas Storm. The guy who kidnapped me." J'onn immediately hit his comm.

"Agent Schott, I need everything you can find on a Dr. Nicholas Storm." He shared a quick look with Hamilton, who nodded her head imperceptibly before leaving. "Agent Danvers." Alex looked at him. "Lab work and half days only. And don't be surprised to have plenty of visitors."

"Yes Sir," she said, smiling brightly. She lost herself in her projects only to be interrupted by a phone call three hours later. Her frown quickly changed into a smile when she saw who was calling. "Hey babe."

"Danvers! Do you have any idea how worried I am right now?" Maggie all but yelled into the phone. "You are supposed to be at home, vegging in front of the TV. Instead I find a note. 'Went to DEO. Be back later.' I thought you collapsed and were taken back to the Med Bay."

"Oh no babe," Alex told her, feeling extremely guilty when she heard the detective tear up. "I didn't even think about that."

"Obviously," Maggie snorted. "What were you thinking?"

"I was going out of my mind and thought I could burn off some steam with some lab work," she admitted. "I was only planning on staying a few hours. I thought I would be back before you got home."

"Damnit Alex," Maggie cursed. Alex stayed quiet as her girlfriend fought against her anger. Eventually she spoke again. "Did they even clear you for lab work?"

"I kinda cleared myself," she admitted sheepishly.

"Alex," Maggie groaned.

"But then they agreed. Half days only though."

"Babe," Maggie groaned again, before turning completely serious. "How did you get there?"

"I walked," Alex told her. "It's not like you guys are letting me drive anywhere right now."

"No," Maggie all but shouted. "You are not walking anywhere, not by yourself. Call me when you're ready to leave and I'll come and pick you up."

"It's like two blocks away," Alex protested, frowning when Maggie growled.

"No!" Maggie insisted. "Call me, call Kara, or even have someone from the DEO bring you home, but you are not walking, at least not alone. Promise me."

"I promise," Alex said, before understanding dawned on her. She didn't have any clear memories of the initial abduction, but from what Maggie and Kara told her it happened on her way home from work. "I'm sorry," she blurted out. "I just realized. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," Maggie admitted. "I'm probably overreacting. I've just never been that scared in my entire life."

"Me too," Alex reluctantly admitted. "Tell you what. I'm just about done with the simulation I'm running. What do you say to an early dinner than an evening of cuddling?"

"That sounds perfect," Maggie told her. "How much time do you need?"

"Thirty minutes," Alex said after a moment.

"I'll be there in twenty," Maggie said. Alex smiled. "I love you."

"I love you back." Maggie ended the call, leaving Alex feeling peaceful. She quickly shook her head, focusing on her work. She had a lot to do before she could call it a day. Twenty minutes later Maggie walked into Alex's lab. Thirty minutes later she forcibly dragged Alex out of her lab. An hour later they were finishing up a pizza they bought on a whim. The rest of the night they were in their bed, making love while they relearned each other's bodies.


	8. Chapter 8

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Danvers," Alex distractedly answered her phone call without looking at who was calling. She was in the middle of analyzing some alien blood cells.

"Agent Danvers," Maggie called professionally. Alex smiled, immediately putting the samples down.

"Detective Sawyer," Alex answered, knowing Maggie only called her 'Agent' when she was working. Or sometimes when she was flirting, but that was never over the phone. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Actually there is," she said. "I have a crime scene with three bodies. Two human and one alien. It looks like a group of humans trying to mug the alien. He defended himself, ultimately killing two of his attackers before they killed him. It looks pretty straightforward, but I like to cover all my bases. I was hoping there was an expert in alien physiology who could verify the barb's in the human's necks did in fact come from the alien."

"I think I can arrange something," Alex smiled.

"Great." Maggie quickly sprouted off the address and ended the call. Alex didn't hesitate before calling her sister.

"Kara? I need a ride."

* * *

Maggie watched as the crime scene techs did their jobs. She frowned when a few still wouldn't get near the alien body. Didn't they realize they were protecting everybody now, aliens included?

She huffed in annoyance and turned back to the bodies. She was going over everything in her head once again when excited chatter started up around her. Smiling, she looked up to see Supergirl come in for an extremely gentle landing right next to her.

"Woah," Alex moaned. Maggie's smile immediately vanished, and she quickly reached for her girlfriend. Alex was pale, shaking slightly, and clutching onto her sister like that was the only thing keeping her upright.

"Babe?" Maggie asked, forgetting about being professional when she saw how much Alex was struggling.

"Guess I'm not ready for flying yet," Alex said, closing her eyes and dropping her head.

"Are you alright?" Kara asked, her voice full of concern. "You look like Maggie whenever I give her a ride." Alex was usually fine with flying. Kara sent an apologetic grin to Maggie, but Maggie never took her eyes off her girlfriend. Alex nodded, and a few minutes later she was back to her old self.

"I'll make sure she gets back," Maggie said, reaching up to take Alex's arm. Kara nodded, not releasing her sister until Maggie had a good grasp, just in case Alex wasn't fine. Once Alex was steady, Kara walked back toward the techs.

"Thank you for the work you do today, and every day, for National City." She smiled brightly at everybody before taking off into the sky.

"She's usually more talkative than that," Maggie said, happy when Alex was able to take her weight again.

"She has a deadline," Alex whispered before stepping away completely. "So where is this alien?"

"Right this way," Maggie said as she led Alex to the body. She left enough space between them to remain professional, but she was watching her lover like a hawk, ready to jump in at the first sign of trouble.

"Pluravian," Alex said, recognizing the species on sight. "They can create stingers as a self-defense mechanism."

"Like these?" Maggie asked, reaching for an evidence bag and holding it up.

"Exactly," Alex confirmed. "The stingers contain a mild neurotoxin giving their victims a brief numbing sensation and partial paralysis which usually gives them enough time to escape. If the stinger were to hit a critical system, though, there is a chance that it could kill them."

"Numbing," Maggie repeated, "partial paralysis. How long would the effects last?" Alex shrugged.

"We've documented everything from a day to a week," she told her. "It all depends how susceptible to the toxin you are."

"Thanks," Maggie said, pulling one of the officers aside. "Send out an APB to all local hospitals. Anyone who has come in within the last day with numbness or paralysis." The officer nodded and went to do his assigned task. Maggie turned back to Alex, who had a small frown on her face. "What?"

"You knew this already," she pouted. "You were with me when I catalogued it."

"Must be why it seemed so familiar," she teased, grinning when Alex smiled. "What? I missed you. And I like working a crime scene with you."

"Well, hopefully J'onn doesn't find out or my ass is really going to be in a sling," she said, moving closer to the detective. Maggie frowned.

"You didn't clear it with J'onn?" Alex looked sheepish. "Awe crap," Maggie cursed as she began pulling her away by the arm. "We've got to get you back."

"He'll never even notice I was gone," Alex protested. "He's in meetings all day."

"But Supergirl gave you a lift," Maggie said, opening the passenger door of her police cruiser for Alex. Alex nodded as she slid in. She still didn't see what the problem was. A second later Maggie joined her, and they were racing towards DEO headquarters. "Supergirl, who has become a bit of a recluse right now. Supergirl, who only shows up for really major things at the moment."

"Yeah," Alex agreed, still not knowing where her girlfriend was going with this. Maggie sighed.

"Anytime she makes an appearance anywhere, it's instant news. People are tweeting and blogging and taking video and photos and posting them immediately. And a whole street full of people just saw her deliver you."

"Oh," Alex's eyes got wide as she realized the problem. "Oh." Maggie reached over and gave her girlfriend's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I just need to get back before he realizes I was gone."

"Right," Maggie said, pulling into the parking lot. All their hopes were dashed as soon as they parked and ran into the building. J'onn was waiting for them at the door.

"My office, now!" he barked, leading the way. Alex trudged after him like a teenager caught breaking curfew. "Detective," he said, holding the door open and motioning her to enter as well.

"I didn't realize she would come herself," Maggie tried to defend her lover as J'onn went around his desk, "or that she wouldn't ask you first if she did come." J'onn silenced her with a glance.

"What part of lab work are you not understanding?" he asked Alex sharply.

"It was a crime scene, in the middle of the day, swarming with cops," Alex retorted. "And I had Detective Sawyer and Supergirl there in case something went wrong. Do you think Kara would have left if there was any chance I was in danger?"

"Damnit Alex, that isn't the point," he said, slamming his hand onto his desk.

"I can't do my job sitting at a microscope," Alex countered.

"Right now, your job is sitting at a microscope," J'onn nearly yelled. "Until we know exactly what Dr. Storm did to you, you are a liability in the field."

"So you're going to keep me grounded forever in the slim chance something might happen?" Alex asked angrily. "It's been over a month and nothing's happened. Whatever he tried failed. I'm fine."

"The issue right now isn't even about that," J'onn countered. "We have rules for a reason. You can't keep circumventing the rules. You're a leader here, one of the best, and the other agents look up to you. Every time you disobey a direct order, you show them that it's okay to not follow the rules." Alex sighed, the fight draining out of her.

"You're right, J'onn," she reluctantly admitted.

"Maybe you're not as fine as you think," he said, quietly. "The Alex Danvers I trained would always be cognizant of how her actions were affecting everybody around her." Alex sighed.

"You're right again," she admitted, standing up straight. "I disobeyed a direct order and am ready to accept the consequences." J'onn stared at her intently for a few minutes.

"Well, Agent Danvers, for the next six weeks you are banned from the DEO except between the hours of 10:00 to 15:00, Tuesday thru Thursday." Alex's eyes widened as she realized he had cut her workable hours in half, but she stayed quiet. "If you are required to be at the DEO outside those hours, it will be by the order, and under the direct supervision, of myself or Dr. Hamilton. Is that understood?"

"Absolutely Sir."

"Two months from now we will re-evaluate the case for field work."

"Two months?" Alex asked. "But you said six weeks." He smiled evilly at her.

"Congratulations Agent Danvers. Your request for leave has been approved."

"Leave?" she questioned. "I didn't request leave." He opened his desk drawer and took out a paper, sliding it across the desk. "Two weeks? What am I going to do for two weeks?"

"It's for you mother's birthday," J'onn supplied, handing her a pen. "A family reunion from what I've been told.

"How do you know about that?"

"Dr. Danvers invited me to the party," he told her. "I'm hoping everything stays quiet and I get to go. I can't remember the last time I attended a good, old fashion family reunion." Alex looked at him strangely and he sighed. "Sign it, be on your best behavior, and enjoy your vacation and we will consider this matter settled." She stared for another minute before signing her name. "You can inform your sister that her leave was approved as well, barring any emergencies."

"She'll be as thrilled as I am, I'm sure." He nodded, gathered up the paperwork, and left the office. Alex turned to her girlfriend suspiciously. "Did you know about this?"

"I was going to let Kara tell you," she winced, preparing herself for the famous Danvers anger. She wasn't disappointed.

* * *

"My girls," Eliza exclaimed, throwing her arms around Maggie and Alex as they made their way out of the airport. "My girls finally return home."

"Here that Mags," Alex grinned at her girlfriend behind her mother's back. "I think you've officially been adopted."

"I heard your family has a habit of taking in strays," she smiled bigger when Eliza just held them tighter.

"You two are so funny," she said, finally letting go of the two women. Eliza smiled as she fell into step as they made their way to the baggage claim. "Not that I mind your visit at all, but what are you doing here so early? I thought I'd have to blackmail Alex to return at all, let alone before the party. Kara's not coming until next week." Maggie grinned.

"I believe this is punishment," she said, ignoring the evil look Alex shot her.

"Punishment?" Eliza asked, shooting her oldest an amused look. "What did she do now?"

"Nothing," Alex immediately defended herself, but Maggie smirked devilishly.

"She kept clearing herself for work," Alex closed her eyes and shook her head, but Maggie continued, "despite Dr. Hamilton's objections."

"Alex!" Eliza exclaimed. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? We still don't know exactly what he did to you."

"Not you too," Alex groaned, before paling slightly. She shot a look to Maggie. "I'll be right back."

"Kay," Maggie said as Alex took off.

"Is everything okay?" Eliza asked when Maggie started to frown. She shook her head.

"It's probably nothing to worry about," Maggie said, as they made their way to the baggage carousel. "There's a stomach bug going around National City right now. I got it a couple weeks ago, and I think I gave it to Alex. She's been a little off for the last week or so."

"Are you sure it's just a stomach bug?" Eliza asked, concerned for her daughter. Maggie shook her head.

"I'm not sure about anything right now," she admitted. "She sneezes from dust and I have a panic attack. The other day she had a headache and I almost brought her to the hospital. When she was feeling lousy for the second day in a row I did bring her into the DEO. Or, I should say, I had Kara bring her in. Kicking and screaming the whole way." Maggie shuddered. "I was so scared while Dr. Hamilton examined her. I kept flashing back to the last time."

"I can imagine," Eliza said, shuddering slightly. "What did Dr. Hamilton say?"

"She confirmed the stomach bug," Maggie admitted. "A pretty mild case considering. Alex even got me to admit I was overreacting."

"But," Eliza asked, sensing Maggie's apprehension. Maggie shook her head as she spotted their bags. She watched as they slowly made their way toward them.

"It's just, I had the same bug," she told Eliza as she grabbed their bags. "I felt like crap for a couple of days. It's been over a week. Alex says she's fine, feeling better, but I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach."

"You think she's lying?" Eliza asked. "You think she's sicker than she's letting on?"

"Yep," Maggie admitted. "What I don't know is if that's just Alex being Alex and toughing it out, or if it's something to really worry about right now." Eliza sighed.

"Well, luckily for you, I am an expert on reading Alex."

"Oh no," Alex groaned, joining them and catching the tail end of their conversation. "Not you too. I'm fine mom."

"Of course you are sweetie," Eliza said, reaching up to feel her forehead. Alex jerked back but wasn't fast enough. Eliza frowned. "You're a bit warm. Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"Fine," Alex said dismissively. Eliza stared at her. Alex sighed. "Fine. My stomach's a bit queasy right now."

"And?" Eliza pressed.

"And I'm a little tired." Eliza just stared at her daughter until eventually Alex sagged. "And I'm kinda cold. But you know I always get cold on planes."

"I know," Eliza conceded that point. She led them to the doors. "You girls wait here. I'll bring the car around." They nodded and watched as she quickly headed to the parking lot. Eventually Alex sat down with a sigh.

"You okay?" Maggie asked, taking the seat next to her and rubbing her thigh soothingly. Alex nodded, again looking a bit pale.

"I just really don't like to fly," she said simply.

"Yet you fly with your own personal super hero every chance you get," Maggie teased. Alex smiled slightly.

"That's different," she defended, before blanching again. Alex leaned forward, curling in on herself as much as possible. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

"It's okay if you need to puke," Maggie said, moving her hand to trace circles on her back. "I know it made me feel better." Alex shook her head and Maggie sighed silently. She continued to soothe Alex until her breathing got better. She slowly uncurled herself, just as her mother drove up. Maggie carefully helped Alex into the back before placing their bags in the trunk and climbing in herself.

"Here sweetie," Eliza said, passing back a bottle of Sprite.

"Thanks," Maggie told her, opening the drink and helping Alex take a few sips. "Slowly. It will help settle your stomach." Alex followed her orders, and a few minutes later the nausea subsided.

"Feeling better?" Eliza asked, one eye on the road and one on her daughter.

"Yeah," Alex reluctantly admitted. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

"I was wondering if you girls wanted to stop and have some dinner since we're in town, but now I'm thinking I should just get you home." Alex mumbled something unintelligible. Maggie looked at her girlfriend, a small smile on her face. Alex was utterly adorable when she let her walls down. "You don't mind leftovers, do you Maggie? I doubt Alex will eat much of anything tonight, and I'll make her some soup tomorrow."

"That sounds great Eliza," Maggie agreed, reaching over and grabbing her girlfriend's hand. That was about all she could do right now; the seatbelt didn't let her get any closer. "What do you think babe?" Maggie asked quietly, but her only answer was a soft snore. Eliza smiled as she and Maggie carried on a quiet conversation. She had gotten to know the detective very well during their vigil, and she liked her, much more than any of the boys Alex ever brought over. It wasn't long before they were back at her house.

"Alex," Maggie unbuckled herself and scooted over, unbuckling Alex along the way. "Babe? We're here." Alex pushed her away weakly. "C'mon. Do you want to fight, or do you want to sleep?"

"Sleep," Alex groaned, opening her eyes slightly. It took her a few minutes to recognize the place. "We're here?"

"Yep," Maggie confirmed, "and it looks like your mom is doing all our heavy lifting. She's already got our bags inside."

"Yay," Alex said, not knowing if she had the energy to get them herself. Not that she would ever admit that. Eliza came back down and opened her door.

"Your room is all set up for you," she said.

"Thanks," Alex smiled up at her. "You're the best, mom."

"Well now I know you have a fever," Eliza joked as she helped Maggie maneuver Alex out of the car. "The only time you compliment me is when your delusional."

"Maybe if you weren't so critical all the time I would compliment you more," Alex said as she stood slowly. She swayed for a minute before paling even more. "I think I'm gonna be sick," she said as she raced to the bathroom. The two ladies immediately followed her, Maggie kneeling down next to the toilet where Alex was crouched, heaving. After a few minutes Alex leaned heavily against her girlfriend.

"Here," Eliza said from her spot just inside the doorway. She handed Maggie a cup of water. Maggie whispered thanks and helped Alex rinse out her mouth. Alex took a few sips and passed the cup back.

"Feeling better?" Maggie asked. Alex nodded, but before she could move the nausea came back even worse. She started dry heaving, having already gotten everything out of her stomach. Maggie held her hair back and rubbed her back soothingly, unable to do anything else to help. Finally, Alex sank back against her.

"This sucks," Alex said, rinsing her mouth out once more but not willing to risk another sip.

"Tell me about it," Maggie said. "I did that for five hours, remember?" Alex groaned, finally feeling strong enough to stand. She slowly got to her feet, Maggie helping every step of the way, and turned to find her mother holding out a pink bottle.

"It will help," she said, reaching up to check her sweaty brow. Alex sighed, the thought of putting anything in her stomach right now was torture, but she knew her mom was right. She also knew her mom wouldn't stop until she took the medicine. She reached out with shaking hands and took the bottle, measuring out a dose and swallowing it in one gulp. "Good girl. Let's get you into bed now."

"Thanks," Alex responded, happier to hear that than ever before. Her mom and Maggie helped her into her childhood room and into her bed. Her mom brought in a damp washcloth and washed the sweat from her forehead while Maggie routed through their bags for her pajamas.

"I'll just go get dinner started," Eliza said when Maggie approached them with the PJ's. She leaned over and kissed Alex on the forehead. "There's a bucket on the side of the bed just in case." Alex nodded. "Sleep well sweetie. I'll see you tomorrow." She looked to Maggie. "If you're hungry just come downstairs, though I would understand if you just wanted to stay up here."

"Thanks," Maggie said quietly. Eliza smiled and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"When did you and my mom get so close?" Alex asked in apprehension.

"When you were sleeping," she said, shuddering at the memory, the worry, the helplessness they felt while Alex was unconscious. "Besides, compared to my parents, she's amazing."

"That's cause you didn't grow up with her," Alex said, her eyes getting heavy. Maggie noticed and quickly started stripping her. "You didn't grow up with the expectations, and then the feelings of shame because no matter how hard you tried you couldn't meet them."

"All parents are shit," Maggie said as she pulled off Alex's jeans and put on some sleepers. She quickly did the same with her shirt, throwing on a tank, then positioned Alex so she was facing the edge. She made sure the bucket was within reach, then she sat down on the edge of the bed. "But before they're parents, they're people. And your mom is good people."

"That's true," Alex agreed sleepily. Maggie started running her fingers through her hair, sending calming vibrations into Alex.

"Do you want me to stay?" she asked, noticing how Alex's eyes were starting to droop. Alex nodded weakly.

"Just till I fall asleep?" she asked shyly. Maggie nodded.

"Fall asleep then," she said, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her lips, "and I will be here when you wake up." Alex smiled sleepily before falling into the abyss, her lover's ministrations sending her quickly into dreamland.


	9. Chapter 9

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Hey," Maggie smiled lovingly at the girl in her arms. Alex grinned lazily back, before blinking him confusion. She recognized her old bedroom, but something was off. It took her a minute to realize that the sun wasn't streaming through her windows like it was supposed to. Granted, the blinds were closed, but she should have been able to see the sun racing along her floor from the edges. She looked back at Maggie.

"What time is it?" she asked, wincing at her voice. Did something die inside her throat?

"A little after one," Maggie said, reaching out for the water that was next to her bed. Alex's eyes widened, as she drank greedily. She never slept that late.

"I've been asleep this whole time?" she asked as she handed the empty glass back to Maggie.

"Not exactly," Maggie grimaced, running her fingers through Alex's hair. "You woke up a few times during the night, threw up, drank some water, and then crashed again."

"Oh," Alex said, struggling to remember anything about last night. "Sorry. I'm ruining your vacation. Here I thought it wouldn't be ruined until the rest of the family arrived."

"You mean little Danvers?" Maggie joked. Alex rolled her eyes and playfully slapped Maggie's arm. "Weak," Maggie smirked before turning serious again. "Do you need anything?"

"Just you," Alex said cheerily before her eyes widened and she turned to the bucket. Maggie held her as she was sick again. "Ugg," she complained once she was done, "I'm sorry you had to see that. You don't have to take care of me. I'm full of cooties right now."

"I like taking care of you," Maggie told her, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her tightly against her body, "cooties and all. Besides, you were doing the same thing for me a couple weeks ago."

"Yeah," Alex protested weakly, "but we weren't on vacation a couple weeks ago. I wanted to show you around, show you all the special places from my childhood and hopefully make them even more special." Alex waggled her eyebrows seductively, which caused Maggie to groan.

"You hound dog," she muttered affectionately, petting her hair gently. "We have plenty of time for that, but first you need to rest and get over this. It won't be long now. Besides, I bet if we need to we can stay longer. J'onn would totally agree, and I'm pretty sure my Chief would call it a miracle and say yes if I ask for more time, even over the phone." Alex grinned.

"We're a bunch of workaholics, aren't we?"

"Not today we aren't," Maggie responded, kissing her girlfriend on the head. "But maybe we can get out of bed sometime today? Not that I don't love spending all day in bed with you, but I think you'll feel better after a shower. I know I did."

"I might need some help," Alex admitted, partially in jest, but a more serious part of her didn't know if she actually had enough strength to shower. "And when we spend all day in bed, I generally have other things in mind than one of us getting sick. Much more fun things." Maggie smiled

"Save it for when you're feeling better," Maggie replied. "Shower?" Alex nodded. Maggie kissed her girlfriend then quickly slid out of bed. Alex smiled and then pulled herself into a sitting position, her legs dangling off the bed. She closed her eyes when the room started to spin. "Alex?" Alex opened her eyes and focused on her girlfriend. Maggie was kneeling in front of her, the clothes she had been gathering laying discarded on the bed. She reached for Alex's hands. "You okay?"

"It's probably low blood sugar," Eliza said, knocking on the wide-open door gently. "Go take your shower. I'll prepare a bowl of chicken soup while you clean up." Alex blushed.

"Are you spying on us," she asked, sarcastically. Eliza shook her head.

"Spying? No, but I'm only down the hall from you. And there's certain things that mothers will always react too. Your child being sick is one of them." Alex shot a glare at her girlfriend.

"How many times did I throw up?" she asked. Maggie reached out to cup her cheek.

"Quite a few," she admitted. "A lot more than me. You were starting to worry me." Alex looked into the concerned eyes.

"Sorry," she said, leaning over and pulling Maggie into a very reassuring kiss. Maggie didn't complain and for the next few minutes they were lost in each other until a small cough sounded behind them. "Mom," Alex groaned.

"Sorry," Eliza said amusedly as she stood in the doorway. "I thought you'd be in the shower by now. I was going to change the sheets while you got cleaned up." Alex blushed.

"Nothing happened that would need sheet changing," she said, her face turning red from embarrassment.

"At least not yet," Maggie smirked. She loved seeing her lover squirm. "I'll save that for when you're feeling better."

"Oh God," Alex exclaimed, dropping her head into her arms.

"I was actually referring to your fever," Eliza said, blushing almost as much as Alex. "You've been sweating most of the night. The sheets are probably soaked."

"I have?" Alex asked, her mortification gone as her scientific mind took over. Maggie nodded an affirmation. "I must look disgusting. No wonder you want me to shower."

"I want you to shower because it will help you feel better," Maggie countered. "You're always beautiful to me, even covered in sweat and puke." Alex smiled weakly. Maggie took the opportunity to sneak another kiss before grabbing her lover's arms. "C'mon," she said as she helped pull Alex to her feet. "Let's get you to the bathroom. You can take care of business while I gather our clothes. Then we can shower."

"Kay," Alex said weakly, trying her best to stand. Neither of them could help but notice how much of Alex's weight Maggie was supporting though. Maggie slowly led her girlfriend to the bathroom, depositing her on the toilet before letting her go.

"You doing okay?" Maggie asked as she watched Alex. She was even paler than normal, and her hands were shaking. After a minute she started to calm down.

"Yeah," she said after a minute. Her hands stopped shaking and she was able to breath normally again. She started stripping off her sweat drenched clothes.

"Kay," Maggie nodded, worry clouding her features. It wasn't like her tough girlfriend to be so weak. But she had never really seen Alex sick before either. She made herself a vow to be extra attentive to her girlfriend this trip. "I'm gonna get our clothes unless you want to streak back to your bedroom."

"Oh God no," Alex looked up, flashing a horrified look. "You've given my mother enough to think about for one trip." Maggie smirked and left the room. She quickly gathered up their clothes and headed back to the bathroom. She lingered outside the door until she heard the toilet flush, giving Alex as much privacy as she could. A few seconds later she knocked.

"It's me. Can I come in?"

"Yeah," Alex answered weakly. Maggie quickly slipped inside. She quickly placed the clothes on the counter before kneeling in front of her lover.

"You okay?" she asked, cupping her face gently. Alex had completely stripped, and Maggie could see small shivers racing over her body. Alex shrugged.

"Just cold," she said, bringing her arms around her torso in an attempt to warm up. Maggie smiled and pushed some hair from Alex's eyes. She could feel her fever starting to rise again.

"A hot shower will help with that," she said gently, "then we can spend the rest of the day snuggling up on the couch. Your mom said she is making some of her famous chicken soup too."

"That soup is the best," Alex said, grinning. Maggie smiled bigger.

"Can't wait to try it," she said, standing up. She started the shower then started to strip. Once she was naked she checked the temperature of the water. As soon as it was right she turned back to Alex. "C'mon. This will help." Alex nodded and let Maggie help pull her to her feet. Once she was upright, she swayed for a minute, but quickly found her equilibrium. She carefully stepped into the shower, Maggie never releasing her steadying hand. She sighed as soon as she felt the hot water cascading down her back. "It's okay if you need to lean against the wall," Maggie said as she joined her a second later. "You just relax. Let me do all the work, okay?"

"Kay," Alex managed briefly, her eyes closing. She leaned against the wall, enjoying the sensations of Maggie's hands all over her body, even if the act was as non-sensual as running a soap filled washcloth over her. She moaned in pleasure when Maggie started shampooing her hair, Maggie even spent a few extra minutes massaging her head.

Once Alex was taken care of, Maggie quickly cleaned herself. Then she pulled Alex into her arms and held her as the water cascaded over their bodies. "This okay?" she asked gently. After Alex was kidnapped and nearly drowned, she had small panic attacks whenever she was near water. She fought hard to get these under control, but Maggie didn't want to risk one now. Not with Alex already so sick.

"Yeah," Alex murmured. Maggie's hands were stroking her, drawing small circles on her back, nearly sending her back to sleep. Maggie kissed her lover gently, happy when Alex started to reciprocate, but pulled back before anything got to heavy. Alex finally opened her eyes, frowning at her girlfriend.

"We should go," Maggie said sweetly. "You don't want Eliza to come searching for us, do you?"

"Oh God no," Alex said. She laid her head on Maggie's shoulders for a minute before standing upright. The shower seemed to do good, since Alex was able to take all of her own weight now. Maggie still kept a firm grip on her lover, in case she started slipping on the wet surface.

"Careful," she cautioned as she led them out of the shower. She grabbed a towel, wrapping up Alex before depositing her on the toilet once again. She grabbed a second towel and quickly dried off before noticing Alex's eyes were on her. "What?" she asked as she dried her hair the best she could.

"Nothing," Alex smirked. "Just enjoying the view."

"Smooth Danvers," she smirked as she leaned down for a kiss. After a minute she pulled away and got dressed. She then helped Alex dry off and dress. Ten minutes later she was helping Alex downstairs.

"Did we finally run out of hot water?" Eliza asked when they finally made it to the kitchen. Alex sat down with a groan. "When she was little, the only way she would get out of the shower was when the hot water was finally gone."

"Really?" Maggie asked in amusement while Alex buried her head.

"Are you planning on embarrassing me this whole time?" Alex piped up.

"That's the plan," Eliza smirked, sharing a smile with Maggie. Maggie laughed and sat down next to Alex, putting a supportive hand on her arm and squeezing gently. "Don't worry sweetie. I won't show the photos and videos until next week." Alex groaned and buried her head deeper. After a few minutes Eliza turned serious again. "How are you feeling honey?" She came over and put her hand on her daughter's forehead, frowning at the heat she could feel. Alex let her, partially because she knew her mother would win that particular argument, and partially because she didn't have any strength to fight. Whatever strength she found during her shower was leaving fast.

"I've been better," she admitted reluctantly, not moving her head from the table.

"This will help," Eliza said, moving to the stove. Alex perked up when a bowl of chicken soup was placed in front of her.

"Thanks mom," Alex said gratefully as she pulled the bowl closer to her.

"I hope you don't mind soup and sandwiches for lunch," Eliza told Maggie, bringing two more bowls and a plate of sandwiches over to the table.

"That sounds great," she told the older woman as she watched Alex carefully pick up a spoon, her hand shaking the entire time. She wanted to reach over and help but held back knowing Alex wouldn't appreciate it. Instead she reached for her own soup. "This is amazing," she said after her first bite.

"Told ya," Alex said as she focused on her own meal.

"I'm glad you like it," Eliza replied, joining them at the table before grabbing her own food. They talked casually as they ate. Maggie didn't realize how hungry she was. She was on her second helping before Alex had even finished half the soup. Eventually Alex pushed back the almost empty bowl. Eliza didn't protest. She just took the bowl away, replacing it with some medicine. "It will help," she said when Alex glared at her.

"If it stays down," Alex said as she took it. Her stomach was definitely churning again, though nowhere as bad as before.

"You'll feel better soon," Maggie said, knowing from experience. She reached over and started gently rubbing Alex's stomach. Alex sighed. "This help?"

"Not my stomach," Alex admitted, "but I really like it." Maggie smiled, moving closer so she could pull her girlfriend against her while she continued to rub.

"You just rest babe. Let us take care of you." Alex nodded. "Couch or bed?"

"Couch," Alex said, opening her eyes reluctantly. "That way you can at least be semi-productive. Even if it's just watching TV." Maggie nodded and helped Alex to her feet once again. Eliza went ahead of them, making sure there were plenty of blankets available. She got another bucket in case Alex was sick again and put it close by. Then she grabbed the remote, and after thinking for a few minutes, grabbed one of the many photo albums she had. She put them both on the side table.

"Thanks," Maggie's eyes twinkled devilishly at the photo album, but Alex was too tired to notice. Between the two of them, they soon had Alex bundled up securely, laying on the couch, her head in Maggie's lap. Maggie was playing with the short locks contentedly, quickly sending her girlfriend to sleep.

"Here," Eliza said, handing several water bottles out to the detective. Maggie took them and placed them on the table, along with the bottle of medicine, a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice, and the box of tissues Eliza had already placed there. For a minute they simply watched Alex sleep. "Are you sure this is just a stomach bug?" Eliza eventually asked, helping herself to the armchair. "All last night I kept thinking what if this is the next part of his plan."

"I thought the same thing when she first started coming down with it," Maggie admitted, "especially since it's been coming on so slow. Why do you think I dragged her to the DEO?"

"What did Dr. Hamilton say?" Eliza asked.

"She did confirm the stomach bug," Maggie confirmed, "and she did okay her for this trip, so I doubt it was a super bug of any kind. But when I told her a week later that she was still feeling like crap, and the worst part hadn't even happened yet, she got concerned again. She had me bring her in again. She did another check-up, with the same results. This time they were going to run some more tests though. She thought maybe whatever he did that messed up her genetic code confused the bug, enough that it's progressing very slowly."

"So when it finally hits," Eliza thought out loud.

"She'll get hit hard," Maggie finished. "Just like this." Eliza nodded. "Dr. Hamilton is still running some tests. She promised to call if she gets anything. In the meantime, we just have to watch her. Carefully."

"Right," Eliza agreed before frowning. "But maybe I should give her a call? Not that my own research is revealing anything right now." She paused at Maggie's curious look. "You didn't think that I stopped researching, just because I left National City, did you?"

"Kinda," Maggie admitted. "I guess I'm more surprised J'onn is letting you continue researching away from the DEO. He doesn't even like it when Alex brings home paperwork."

"That's because he's too set in his ways with secrecy," she told her. Eliza grabbed her phone and started scrolling through her contacts. "But times change. The DEO is known publicly now. And really, is there anyone more qualified, or more dedicated, to this research than me?" Maggie could only shake her head at that as Eliza found the correct number. She pushed the button and raised the phone to her head. "Amelia? It's Eliza. I just talked to Maggie." A pause. "Yeah, she is definitely feeling the effects of the stomach bug now." Maggie didn't hear the rest of the conversation as Eliza left the room, still chatting amicably. She looked down at the sleeping form in her lap, smiling as she watched the steady rise and fall of Alex's chest. With nothing else to do, she reached for the photo album, flipping through in interest.

The rest of the week followed pretty much the same way. Alex slept a lot, secretly enjoying being waited on hand and foot by her mother and girlfriend. She was feeling much better every day, so much so that when the time came for Kara and the rest to join them, she convinced her girlfriend to go pick them up.

"Mom," she said seriously after the car disappeared down the road. Eliza turned to look at her oldest. Alex had such a serious look on her face that Eliza was immediately worried.

"Is anything wrong?" she asked immediately, reaching out to check her temperature. Alex jerked back before she could which caused her concern to go down a notch.

"Everything's fine," she said, reaching out her hand to her mother. Eliza took it and Alex led them back inside, sitting them on the couch. "I need to talk to you about something. Something serious." Eliza nodded. Alex felt uncomfortable but forced herself to continue. "I wanted to talk to you about grandmother's ring."

"What?" Eliza asked, her worry turning into elation, but Alex didn't hear her.

"I know it's a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. I know she gave it to dad when he proposed to you. And I was hoping for the same consideration."

"Oh honey," she exclaimed, tears streaming down her face as she pulled her oldest into a hug. "Of course." She held her for a minute before standing. Alex followed her into her room. She headed straight to the jewelry box, reaching for a small pouch. She turned and held the pouch out to her daughter.

"I'll probably need to get it cleaned," Alex said, as she opened the pouch and pulled out the cloth wrapped ring. "And I'll probably need to get it sized. Her fingers are so small." Her hand was shaking as she unwrapped the ring.

"I can help you with that," her mom said when Alex finally had the ring out. "If you want me to, that is." Alex looked up, smiling at her mother. "I am so happy for you."

"Thanks," she said, tears in her eyes. Alex carefully wrapped the ring back up, putting it back into the pouch and then pocketing the whole thing. "But we should probably get dinner started. You know how much the boys can eat, and it's nothing compared to Kara."

"Are you finally going to let me show you how to cook?" Eliza asked as they made their way back downstairs. Alex shook her head.

"I am here in a supportive role only. I don't think our guests would like it if their dinner turned radioactive." She sat down in the kitchen and watched as Eliza started dinner, the two talking like they hadn't been able to do in years.


	10. Chapter 10

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Maggie?" Kara asked when she spotted the familiar dark hair waiting for them at the airport. "What are you doing here?"

"Picking you guys up," Maggie said.

"No offense, but I though Eliza was going to do that," Kara said, crinkling her forehead in confusion.

"I think Alex wanted to spend some time with her," Maggie said, frowning slightly at the thought before shaking her head. She refocused on the blonde. "Alex asked me to come pick you guys up."

"But Eliza is going to have her famous, home cooked dinner waiting for us," Winn asked from Kara's side. "Right?"

"And Alex wasn't going to help," James added from behind them. "I mean, I love your girl to death, but some people should not be allowed within ten miles of a kitchen."

"Even if she offered, Eliza's not stupid enough to accept," Maggie said as they collected their bags. Kara effortlessly pulled them from the carousel, frowning the entire time. "What's up, little Danvers?"

"Nothing," she said, looking at Maggie. Maggie raised her eyebrow. "Was it the crinkle again?"

"Yep," James nodded. "Now what's on your mind?"

"I know they love each other," Kara started as they made their way to the car, "but one on one socializing isn't something they ever really did. Not even when we were growing up. There's always been some buffer between them. First Jeremiah, then me." She continued to frown until they reached the car. As they loaded their bags into the trunk, Kara's eyes got wider. "Oh Rao," she exclaimed, looking at Maggie excitedly.

"What?" Maggie asked self-consciously. Kara just shook her head, grinning like an idiot.

"Eliza wasn't making potstickers, was she?" Winn asked, looking at Kara curiously.

"Not that I know of," Maggie said as they all piled into the car.

"I just missed you guys so much," Kara said, leaning over and giving the detective a big hug, despite the seat between them. Maggie softened.

"I missed you too, little Danvers," she said, holding Kara's arms tightly, "even if you are acting stranger than usual." The drive was made in silence, the boys tired from the trip even though Kara practically vibrated in her seat. As soon as they pulled up to Eliza's house, Kara was out of the car, racing to find Alex. She found her in her old room, changing for dinner.

"Did you get the ring?" Kara asked eagerly, stopping just long enough to see if Alex was descent before barging into the room. Alex turned and smiled. Kara squealed. "I knew it. When are you going to ask her? Do you need any help?"

"Calm down Kara," Alex said, reaching over to ground her sister. "I'm not sure how I'm going to ask, I haven't quite figured that part out yet. I still need to get the ring down to the jewelers to be cleaned."

"I can do that," Kara offered. "Zip it down there first thing in the morning and be back before anyone notices I'm gone." Alex smiled.

"Thanks," she told her, hugging her sister tightly.

"I'm so happy for you," Kara said. They only pulled away when Maggie knocked gently.

"You guys ready for dinner?" she called out. A second later the door opened, and Kara dragged out Alex. Alex reached for her girlfriend's hand and the three of them made their way downstairs.

"Where's J'onn?" Eliza was asking as she supervised as the boys set the table.

"There was a small problem at the Bunker," Winn said as they took their seats. "Random power fluctuations and computer glitches kept opening cell doors. It took me a while to figure out one of the recent prisoners was somehow able to interface with the computer systems. I was eventually able to figure out which alien it was and stop him, but not before he infected a good portion of the command codes. J'onn went to supervise the cleanup and lend a hand since doors were still randomly opening. The techs think everything should be cleaned up and back in working order in a few days. J'onn said he would join us then."

"I'm missing a jailbreak?" Alex whined. Winn grinned.

"If by jailbreak you mean the doors opening and the guard locking them again before the prisoners even notice, then yes."

"They even asked for Guardian's help," James added. "It was not all it was cracked up to be. Staring at a light for hours on end. And, of course, they didn't have me anywhere near any of the really dangerous prisoners."

"Good," Kara chirped in. "I worry enough about you when you put on that stupid suit."

"Stupid?" Winn gasped. "Don't you mean awesome?" Kara rolled her eyes as they ate the amazing dinner Eliza prepared. After dinner Eliza got the boys situated in the spare room while Kara hovered uncertainly outside of Alex's old room.

"Kara?" Alex asked as she and Maggie got ready for bed. Kara nervously shifted from foot to foot. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Kara admitted. "It's just I missed you guys so much this last week. And I know the Kent's are coming in a few days, and they're going to take my room, and I know Eliza assumed I would sleep in here with you guys, but maybe she didn't think that maybe you wanted to be alone. And now that I've said it, of course you want to be alone. I'll just go back to my room and then find somewhere else when they get here."

"Kara," Maggie interrupted, looking at the alien knowingly. "Get in here and close the door." Kara jumped into action and Maggie shot Alex an amused look as Alex scooted more to the center of the bed. "You two are so co-dependent. It would be annoying if it wasn't so cute."

"I can find somewhere else," Kara offered, even as she climbed into bed with her sister. She immediately nestled into her side.

"Your good right where you are," Alex said sleepily, yawning loudly. She raised her free hand and Maggie quickly joined them, spooning her girlfriend. Alex quickly fell asleep between the two most important women of her life.

The next morning the three Danvers women were acting strangely. Kara rushed off as soon as the clock struck seven. She was back five minutes later with a big grin on her face. She whispered something to Alex while Eliza cooked breakfast. Everyone else looked on in confusion when they started giggling madly.

"Does anyone need anything before I leave?" Eliza asked a few hours later.

"Where are you off to Dr. Danvers?" Winn asked kindly. Eliza blushed.

"A lunch date with an old colleague," she said mysteriously.

"Date?" Alex asked, her protective instincts flaring up.

"A lunch date," Eliza corrected. "One that I've already had to reschedule twice. It would be a shame if I had to cancel a third time." Alex looked down in shame. She was the reason her mother had to put her life on hold. The first time was when Eliza rushed to National City after Alex's abduction. The second time was when Alex was puking her guts out a few days ago. "It's okay Alex. He understands family comes first. And he knows what it's like to sacrifice for family."

"Okay," Alex conceded. "Wait a minute. He?" Eliza smirked and left the house, Alex nearly running after her.

"Oh, let her have her date," Kara said, grabbing Alex by the arm and not letting her go. "Besides, we have other things we need to worry about." She leaned down and whispered something in her sister's ear, which caused Alex to blush fiercely. They looked at each other for a moment before nodding, rushing out of the room like crazy people. The rest of the group watched as the sisters made their way outside before Kara wrapped an arm securely around Alex and took to the sky.

"Is it just me, or are they acting stranger than normal?" James asked, looking between Maggie and Winn bewilderedly.

"Maybe it's something in the water?" Winn theorized, turning to look at Maggie appraisingly.

"What?" she shot a challenging look at him. He shrugged self-consciously.

"It's just," James started, pulling away Maggie's intense glare, "it's nice to see Kara happy again. And I've never seen Alex so relaxed." Maggie smiled.

"It is nice to see, isn't it?" Winn nodded, relaxing now that she wasn't shooting death daggers at him. Maggie sighed and made her way outside. "Well, since I've been here seven more days than you, I guess I get to give you the grand tour."

* * *

Alex smiled contentedly as she surveyed the clearing. It had been one of her favorite spots when she was little. The little clearing was at the end of a five-mile hike. The gentle incline meant the clearing was about fifty feet above the water, which meant an excellent view. And the best part, since there was no easy access to the water below, almost nobody knew of the clearings existence.

"This is the place," she muttered to herself. She would come here almost weekly when she was growing up. Almost daily when Kara joined the family. Kara could fly here in under five minutes when she first arrived. Of course, her parents never knew she was flying. They just thought the girls were hiking up to the little clearing. It was the perfect spot to test out her new sister's powers, help Kara learn control of these powers, or just sit under the tree and talk.

Of course, no one had been up here in years. The clearing was starting to become overgrown, and the path Alex had so dutifully made in her younger years was starting to disappear. This was, until Alex and Kara arrived a few hours ago. They diligently cleaned up the area, forcing the weeds back and trimming the trees until the clearing was just how they remembered it. Or at least Kara did. She wouldn't let Alex do anything more than supervise.

"Okay," Kara said, joining her sister. "The trail is back in order. I even added a few handholds and resting places to that one really steep place at the very end."

"Great," Alex said, hugging her sister tightly. "Do you think you could drag some of the bigger fallen tree trunks here? Create a circle in the clearing?"

"With a fire pit in the middle?" Kara asked eagerly. Alex barely had time to nod before Kara was a blur. Minutes later there were several perfectly sized trees surrounding a fire pit, complete with a stack of logs and branches along the side. "Like this?"

"Yeah," Alex said, turning to her sister. Then she began to laugh. Kara looked confused.

"What?" she asked, self-consciously.

"You've got a dirt streak on your cheek," Alex managed to get out, rising her hands to wipe the dirt away. She only managed to spread it around. Alex laughed harder.

"You try setting this up and see how dirty you get," Kara grumbled before picking up some of the loose dirt and throwing it at her sister. Alex shrieked and started running towards her, but Kara always remained out of reach. Just like when they were kids. Finally, Alex needed to rest, her stamina still wasn't what it used to be. She sunk down underneath some large oak trees and looked out across the water. Kara joined her, hugging her close from behind and resting her chin on her sister's shoulder. "She's going to love it," Kara smiled gently at Alex.

"What if she says no?" Alex asked softly, finally voicing her fear. "She didn't say anything when I asked her before. What if that was a sign that she just wants to be friends?"

"She doesn't," Kara stopped her sister mid rant. "She loves you. She wants to spend the rest of her life with you. The times weren't right before, but it's perfect now." Alex nodded, tears filling her eyes as she held her sister's arms tightly. It took a minute for her to calm down. A ringing suddenly broke through the silence. Kara stepped back, quickly grabbing her phone. A second later she was at Alex's side again, her eyes wide with excitement. "That was Mike. The ring is ready." Alex nodded and climbed to her feet.

"We should get cleaned up," she said, looking down at her dirty clothes and sweat soaked skin. Even though Kara had let her do very little, they were both covered in dirt.

"We could go back home," Kara said mischievously, "or we could jump." Alex looked toward the water. There was nothing but a fifty-foot cliff between them and the water. When Alex first started coming here by herself, Jeremiah had moved some of the smaller tree trunks to create a rudimentary barrier, but that had never stopped her before. Alex, being somewhat of a daredevil even when younger, had jumped into the water the first chance she got. Especially when Kara joined her. Kara could just fly them back to the top of the cliff without needing to swim around to the beach.

Alex grinned and took off running. She leapt off the edge and plunged into the water, Kara right behind her. She swam underwater for a bit, breaking the surface several feet from where she went it. The water was refreshing. She couldn't remember the last time she had this much fun.

"A little warning next time would be nice," Kara said, surfacing right next to her.

"It was your idea," Alex shot back as they treaded water. "And a good idea."

"I wanted to jump first," Kara protested, "in case something went wrong." Alex rolled her eyes and started swimming toward the beach. It was a descent swim around the cliffs they just hiked to a little secluded beach they had discovered when they were little. The beach was tucked in between the cliffs and so concealed they had yet to see anyone on it. Of course, the only way in or out was by water, and most people didn't have a superhero with them. About halfway through the swim Alex began to tire. She didn't protest when Kara swam ahead of her, or when she flipped Alex on her back and began pulling her to shore.

"Guess I wasn't quite up for this," Alex said as she let her body relax.

"It's okay. I've got you." Alex knew this, of course. Kara would never let anything happen to her. Especially not something as simple as drowning in the ocean. A few minutes later they were on the beach. Kara helped Alex stand, keeping her hand on her back just in case, but the little rest while Kara pulled her helped rejuvenate the older sister.

"I'm good," Alex promised. Kara nodded and went to the other side of the beach to quickly spin dry her clothes. When she was done she returned to Alex.

"Want to try spinning?" Kara offered, "or I can try blowing. I've gotten much better at it."

"How about blowing," Alex said, standing up and holding her arms out. Kara nodded and started blowing. Alex stepped into the wind and slowly circled. A few minutes later she signaled Kara to stop.

"You're not dry yet," Kara complained, taking in her sister's damp clothes.

"Dry enough," Alex said. Her clothes were no longer dripping and that was good enough for her. "Besides they'll dry soon enough in the sun. And we still need to get to the jewelers." Kara nodded and grabbed her sister securely. Soon they were flying through the air. They landed at a point just outside of town. They linked arms and started walking, giggling the whole way. Within five minutes they were downtown.

"Here," Kara said as she led Alex into the jewelry store. Mike, the owner, was waiting for them, a happy smile on his face.

"I made it sparkle, just like your eyes," he said when he saw the sisters. He reached behind the counter and pulled out the ring, laying it on a velvet mat before placing it on the counter.

"It's even more beautiful than I remember," Alex said. "And the sizing?" she asked hopefully. He smiled.

"When she says yes, bring them both back in. I'll be able to size it within a day." He smiled at them before reaching around for a small box. "She's a lucky woman Alex," he said, placing the ring in the box before sliding the box and the pouch over to her.

"I'm the lucky one Mike," she said, pocketing the ring securely. Mike nodded and stepped around the counter to pull her into a hug. He did the same with Kara. They quickly paid then made their way back outside. Alex's hand automatically went to her pocket, holding the small box tightly.

"What do you want to do now?" Kara asked as they automatically started walking down Main Street. "When are you going to propose?"

"I was thinking after mom's party. Get all that crazy over beforehand."

"All that crazy might scare her away," Kara commented. "I was freaked for weeks after my first reunion."

"That's cause you had never experienced a big family before," Alex teased. "I remember that first reunion. You couldn't understand how two people were allowed to have more than one child."

"Eliza was one of nine children," Kara defended herself. "Back home you only ever had one child and that's if you were considered worthy. The only way I even had an aunt was because grandmother had twins, which was extremely rare. I thought that Eliza's mother must have had nine children at one time."

"I remember," Alex said. Kara blushed.

"I remember you teasing me about it for months," Kara added, trying to look stern but failing miserably.

"I remember that too," Alex teased. Kara huffed but she also remembered that time with fondness. She was so afraid that Alex would hate her for being forced to have her in her life. But then she realized Alex only teased people she truly cared about. "Ooh. Ice cream."

"Chocolate," Kara called as they raced into their favorite ice cream shop. Ten minutes later they continued their walk, this time munching contentedly on some ice cream cones.

"Hey," Alex started as they ambled along, "before when you said the times weren't right. I only remember asking once before."

"You kinda asked right before we rescued you from Storm," Kara admitted. "But I totally understand you not remembering that." Alex nodded numbly. Her memories of her time spent with Dr. Storm were fragmented and disjointed to say the least.

"What did she say?" Alex asked. She realized a second later that she shouldn't have asked anything. Kara stopped abruptly, tears forming in her eyes while she shook her head. Alex quickly wrapped her up in a hug. "Hey. It's okay. I'm okay. Just forget I asked, okay."

"It's not that," Kara said eventually as soon as her sobs were back under control. "I just don't know…"

"Right," Alex said, not knowing how to help her sister. "You were off dealing with the bombs. I forgot."

"No," Kara shook her head. "Well, yes, but I was still focusing on you. I heard your conversation with Maggie. I heard you ask. Then all I heard was your screams." Alex pulled her sister to a nearby bench and sat down, holding her close. "I was flying all around the city. The park. A school. Catco. A museum. A hospital. He even placed one of his bombs in an ice cream truck. I know there were excited shouts when people saw me, confusion when I uncovered the bomb and terror when I flew away again so quickly, but the only thing I heard was your screams."

"Oh Kara," Alex comforted her as best she could. "I'm sorry you had to hear that."

"I'm sorry you had to endure it," Kara countered. "I should have found you faster. I should have been better."

"I'm okay. You're okay. Everything's fine now." They sat there, clinging to each other as they finished their treat. Once they were done, and they got themselves back together, they stood and started walking again. "We should probably get back." Kara nodded. They crossed the street and started back the way they came. They were just enjoying their stroll when Kara's eyes got wide.

"Eliza." Alex froze. A few steps away was one of the many diners on Main Street. Alex looked around in a panic. She knew Kara heard her coming, so that meant she would be popping out of the diner any minute. She didn't want to see her mom right now. They both needed time to recover from their crying scene a few minutes before. If Eliza saw them now, she would know something was wrong. A quick look at Kara showed she was thinking the same thing. She gestured behind them. There was a little store they could duck into, but by then it was too late.

"Alex? Kara? What's wrong?" Eliza asked as she left the diner. Alex looked at her guiltily, but the sight of her date froze her again.

"Dad?" she asked timidly, convinced she was seeing things.

"Girls," he said gently before truly looking at them. "Is everything okay?" The concern in his voice turned the ice in Alex's veins to fire. She formed a fist, ready to punch him, but before she could raise her arm Kara wrapped her arms around her tightly.

"Jeremiah," Kara asked in confusion. She could feel Alex fighting to get free. He noticed her struggles before looking around.

"Over here," he said, leading them a few feet away to a side alley. He didn't stop until they were at the back. "I know you girls are probably surprised to see me."

"Why didn't you let us know you were still alive?" Kara asked, finally letting go of her sister but putting herself between the two of them. "Did you not want to see us?"

"I did," he told her, reaching out to cup her cheek gently, "every second of every day. I've watched everything you've done. And I'm so proud of you." He looked up and caught Alex's eyes. "Of both of you."

"Then why not show yourself?" Alex demanded harshly. She was shaking with rage. He sighed.

"Because I didn't want to put you into the same position as before," he told her gently, taking a cautious step towards her. "I didn't want to make you choose between family and your job."

"It's just a job," Alex said dismissively.

"But it's a job that needs doing," he told her. "And you do it so well. You protect this world and everybody in it, including aliens. It's something I was never able to do." He took a step towards her but stopped when she flinched.

"Cadmus is all out in the open now," she spoke harshly. "You're all being claimed as heroes. There's no reason to hide anymore."

"Lillian is being hailed a hero," he corrected her. "She used her power and position to gain immunity for her crimes. And she left the rest of us to hang. Not that I should have excepted any less from her."

"But everyone knows what Cadmus is," Kara protested. "What they've done."

"Everyone knows what she wants them to know," he corrected again. "If people knew what really went on in there. What she authorized. What she did." He shivered. "What we all did." He shook his head and turned back to Alex. "I've been trying my best to get all the information out, but it's risky."

"You're the source," Kara said, her eyes widening in realization. "The one who has been giving out the monthly intel on Cadmus." He nodded.

"On what really goes on," he confirmed. "What is still going on." He took a step back. "I've always tried to do my best from the inside, tried to bring what little humanity they left me to that hellhole. For ten years I was able to convince myself that I was doing all I could to help. Then you came out, Kara, and I knew it was just a matter of time before they went after my daughter. Then I realized that my oldest daughter," he turned to look at Alex, "was standing on the front lines, right by her sister. I knew they would eventually go after both my children. And I knew I would do whatever I had to do to stop them."

"That's why you helped me," Kara said, tears forming in her eyes. She looked at her sister. "He really does care about us." Alex shook her head.

"No. That was all part of his plan," she said fervently. "If he really cared about us he would have taken the out we gave him. Instead he betrayed us. You don't betray people you really care about."

"I had no choice," he said, frustration leaking into his voice. "Don't you understand? You girls taught me an important lesson, without even trying. Everything I had ever done was about keeping the three of you safe. But you taught me sometimes you had to think beyond your family. You had to think about others, strangers even, and do what you can to help them too. If I stayed with you, Cadmus would have killed every alien they got their hands on. If I stayed with Cadmus at least they would have a chance."

"Forceful banishment is such a better option," Alex snorted. "Tell me, dad, where exactly was that ship taking us? To another planet where we could start again? To the other side of the galaxy? Straight into a sun? A black hole? The phantom zone?" Jeremiah closed his eyes in defeat.

"Alex," Eliza moved forward, putting herself between them. "He did his best to save everyone."

"Not from where I was standing," she said, stalking back a few feet. "Not from the bridge of that ship."

"Alex," he tried reaching for her, but she flinched away again. "I'm sorry. I know it's not enough, but I'm trying." Eliza reached for his hand.

"How long have you too been dating?" Kara asked shyly. Eliza and Jeremiah smiled.

"Since the invasion," she answered.

"Cadmus was out in the open. The DEO was out in the open. We all thought that meant we could stop running. I wanted to come home to you, but I was so tired." Alex snorted.

"Betrayal does that," she snarked.

"I came to your mother first. I love her so much," she looked longingly at her, "but that short time when we were a family again I realized we were both strangers. We went on our first date."

"It was perfect," she said, smiling at him.

"Perfect," he echoed before frowning, "but then I realized Cadmus being outed didn't stop them. I was in a unique position. I was an insider. I had access to the information. I had the opportunity to leak that information and stop them for good. I had to try." He looked to Alex again. "I want to come home, but I need to finish this first. Then nothing will stop me from being there with you."

"Like you were there for me five months ago?" Alex raged. "Like you were there for me when I was kidnapped? When I was experimented on?" She crossed over to him. "Where were you when Dr. Storm forced his procedure on me? Where were you afterwards? When my family gathered together to help me through?"

"Alex," he tried, but she stormed past him, stopping at the entrance to the alley.

"You weren't there because you're not my family. And if I ever see you again I am taking you in." She stormed out. Kara paused, looking between her sister and her foster parents.

"Go," Jeremiah urged her. "She needs you more than I do."


	11. Chapter 11

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The next few days were tense. Kara quickly caught up to her sister and flew them back to the house, but everyone could tell something had happened. Kara was obviously worried but wouldn't say what happened. And when Eliza finally drove back to the house they could tell she knew but wasn't saying either. She forced cheerfulness as she went about her days, proving to be a perfect hostess. Alex either stayed up in her room or outside. She barely interacted with any of them the first night, but she slowly started letting them back in. Everyone except her mother.

As Eliza's birthday drew nearer, the house became overcrowded with guests. This helped relieve the tension somewhat. J'onn arrived the day before. He pulled Alex aside, but couldn't get anything out of her either. He then tried Kara but dropped it after she told him it was a family thing.

The day of the party dawned bright and clear. Family and friends from all over were converging on the small beach house. They rented several large tents which provided shade in the hot afternoon sun. Everyone was having a wonderful time. Even Alex and Eliza were able to talk briefly. It was very formal, much like they would before Kara came out as Supergirl and everything was out in the open, but it was a start. The party lasted well into the night, with people eventually crashing wherever they could find a spot.

The next morning everyone was moving slowly. The party crashers eventually made it home, and by midafternoon all of the party guests were on their way back home, except for her daughters and their friends.

"When are you all leaving?" Eliza asked as she brought out a pitcher of lemonade. Kara quickly followed with the cups. They were gathered around a picnic table, enjoying the shady pavilions, which wouldn't be removed for a couple of days, and playing various board games that Eliza had around the house.

"The day after tomorrow," J'onn answered politely as he watched James bump Winn back to start for the third time in a row. "Why? Are you trying to get us out of your hair faster?" Winn looked up.

"You want us to leave?" he asked. He had been alone since he was a teenager and had absolutely craved the kind of family life Eliza provided.

"Of course not Winn," she said, rubbing his shoulder reassuringly. "But I thought you'd all be biting at the bit to get back there. Especially that one." She pointed a finger at Alex. Alex shrugged.

"Maybe this did do me some good after all," she said, glancing shyly at Maggie. Maggie narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but before she could comment Kara jumped in.

"Well, I know I love getting away from the city whenever I can."

"Since when?" James asked as he moved one of his pieces home. "I have it on good authority you have never taken a vacation since Cat hired you."

"Of course I have," she started, only to realize what she was saying. "Whenever she did."

"And when was that?" Winn asked. Kara sagged.

"This last year in a yurt," she said unconvincingly. She sighed. "Okay. Maybe we all work too much."

"Or maybe we all just needed a break," Maggie said, interlocking her fingers with Alex. "It's been a pretty rough year." With her free hand she reached out to Kara, who gratefully smiled and took it. "For all of us." Everyone nodded.

"When you are all done with the game, I have some pies cooling inside," Eliza said.

"Fresh baked pies?" Winn asked, looking at the game. He and James were the only ones still playing. "I surrender," he said, knocking his pieces over. James immediately agreed, grabbing the box and tipping all the pieces back in. Within minutes they were following Eliza inside. "You wouldn't happen to have made a chocolate pecan pie?" Winn asked hopefully. Eliza smiled at him.

"I actually made two," she said as everyone headed into the kitchen. Or almost everyone. "Alex?" she asked when her oldest headed to the stairs instead of the kitchen.

"You go ahead," she motioned to the kitchen where everybody was waiting for her. "I'm actually pretty tired. I'm just gonna crash."

"Is this about earlier?" Eliza asked. Alex's breath hitched, but she shook her head.

"The family just really wore me out," she admitted. Eliza watched her for a minute before nodding. She entered the kitchen just as J'onn started cutting into the pies. Kara started dishing out plates. Eliza took a slice of apple pie and headed up the stairs.

"Alex?" She knocked quietly on the door.

"Come in," came the muffled response. Eliza opened the door slowly, surprised to find Alex had changed and was already in bed.

"I brought you some pie," she said, placing the plate on her dresser. "You can eat it later, if you want."

"Thanks mom," Alex said before pulling the blankets up to her chin. Eliza came and sat down on the side of the bed. She reached over and pushed back some of her hair which had gotten loose.

"Are you sure you're okay with what happened earlier?" Alex sighed.

"I really don't want to talk about that," she said. "I can't. I don't even want to think about it."

"I know it's not fair to you, or your sister, finding out like that. We were trying to find a way to tell you." Alex sighed.

"He doesn't have a phone wherever he's at?" Eliza smiled and began running her fingers through her eldest's hair.

"He cares about you so much sweetie," she said. Alex sighed.

"I know," she admitted, "and I care about him too. All I want to do is wrap my arms around him and never let go, but I can't because the last time he betrayed us. Betrayed me. And as much as I want to trust him, I just can't. Not yet."

"He knows," she reassured her daughter. "He also knows he screwed up. He's willing to go as slowly as necessary with you. And Kara." Alex nodded.

"I just," she started, "I need time to think. I need to sort it all out myself before I even think about trying to reconcile with him." Eliza nodded.

"I understand. And so does he." She leaned over lightly kissed Alex on the forehead. "Get some sleep." Alex nodded and closed her eyes, snuggling in with the blankets more securely. She fell asleep almost immediately. Eliza watched her for a few minutes before leaving the room, nearly running into Kara who was waiting impatiently by the door.

"She's just really nervous," Kara said quietly. Eliza looked up.

"Why would she be nervous?" Eliza asked.

"About tomorrow," Kara whispered. Eliza looked confused, so Kara pointed to her ring finger. Understanding filled her eyes.

"Aww," she said knowingly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Well," Kara said quietly, "I kinda promised I would fly a picnic out there for her, and I don't think Maggie would be impressed if they both got food poisoning."

"I'll see what I can come up with," Eliza said, wrapping an arm around Kara and leading her back downstairs. "I'll cook. You deliver." Kara nodded enthusiastically as they rejoined the group.

"Is everything okay?" Maggie asked as soon as they got back down. "Alex?"

"Is sleeping," Eliza told her. "Family reunions are exhausting and she's still recovering. I took her up some pie."

"I'll try to keep someone away from it," Maggie grinned, looking right at Kara. She held up her hands.

"I cannot be held accountable for my actions when there is an abandoned piece of pie being neglected."

"Of course sweetie," Eliza said as everyone laughed. She also handed Kara a plate with three pieces on it.

* * *

"You sure you're up for this Danvers?" Maggie asked as they slowly followed the road away from the house. "Considering you were asleep by eight last night."

"I was tired from the reunion," Alex answered absently. "Besides, this is our last night here. I want to show you something really special."

"Something so special that we need to hike to?" Maggie asked.

"Hike really isn't the right word," Alex tried again. "Maybe a better word would be stroll."

"A five-mile stroll?" Maggie teased. Alex nodded.

"With just a small hiking part at the end," Alex added. "Trust me, it's worth it."

"If you say so," Maggie said, grabbing her hand so they were walking side by side. Alex grinned and squeezed. "Just don't go getting tired and expecting me to carry you."

"That thought never crossed my mind, Sawyer," Alex said, picking up the pace a little as the road evened out. Soon they were at the start of the trail. They had to let go of each other, but they still made good time. Even while taking plenty of breaks. It was during one of those breaks that Maggie rounded on Alex.

"I take it the hard part is about to start?" she asked, looking ahead. The smooth trail suddenly got steep.

"Just for about forty feet or so," Alex said, panting slightly. She took another swig of her water bottle, watching Maggie do the same. She was finding the hike a bit more demanding than she thought it should be, which irritated her to no end. She was better, damn it, she shouldn't be getting her butt kicked by a walking trail.

"I'm sure if you asked, Kara would just fly you over here," Maggie said, taking a seat next to Alex. Alex shook her head.

"She's busy," she said, just as something streaked overhead. Maggie looked up automatically, recognizing Kara flying through the air easily. She looked back to Alex, who blushed. "Busy delivering your surprise," she said weakly.

"Oh?" Maggie asked when a second later she streaked back. "Am I going to like it?"

"I hope you're going to love it," Alex smiled at her, leaning in for a kiss. Maggie pulled away after a minute.

"Well, we better get to it then," she said, pulling Alex to her feet. "I hate to sound like a cliché, but how much further?"

"Not too far," Alex said as she led the way. Maggie was glad she was behind her girlfriend. This gentle stroll was anything but gentle for Alex and she was afraid she would actually fall on the steeper part. She moved as close as possible, just in case. "Once we climb this part the trail evens out again. Then it's another hundred feet or so to the clearing. You're going to love it."

"I better," Maggie warned. "I don't do nature for just anybody you know." Alex smiled than turned her attention to the suddenly steep climb. It was obvious Alex had made this trek several times. She knew exactly where to step and where the handhelds were, although Maggie thought some of those handhelds looked a little to manufactured. By the time they reached the top Alex was breathing heavily.

"Want to stop?" Maggie asked, wrapping her arm around her lover's waist. Alex shook her head.

"It's pretty even from this point on. I'll be able to catch my breath." Maggie nodded, not moving her arm just in case. They walked for another few minutes before Maggie started to see the trees thin.

"Oh my God," Maggie exclaimed when the clearing finally came into view. She quickly lowered Alex onto one of the logs surrounding the fire pit, giving her a chance to catch her breath while Maggie looked around her in wonder. "It's beautiful."

"It's got nothing on you," Alex said from her seat. Maggie blushed and headed back to her girlfriend. "I've been coming here since I was five. My parents used to bring me. This is where they taught me the stars, taught me about the forest and the world. When I was eight I started coming up here on my own. I would do my homework or read a book or just think. It was one of the first places I shared with Kara." Alex stood and moved closer to Maggie. "And now I've shared it with you."

"It's amazing," Maggie agreed. Alex smirked.

"Just wait till sunset," she said, looking around the clearing for the supplies her sister brought.

"Sunset?" Maggie sounded confused, until she saw Alex unfurl a large blanket. She saw the picnic basket next to it. "Are we having a sunset dinner?"

"Yep," Alex said, as she started to unload dish after dish. "And, before you ask, Kara had no part in cooking these. These are all mom."

"These look delicious," Maggie said as she helped set up their picnic, "but how are we going to get back home in the dark? It might be an easy trail, but even I know better than to go hiking at night."

"We're not," Alex grinned. "We're sleeping under the stars tonight."

"What?" Maggie asked before she saw the rest of the blankets piled underneath one of the trees. She smiled. "You're really turning on the charm Danvers."

"I'm trying to work on spontaneous acts of romance," she said, laughing slightly. Maggie looked at her thoughtfully. "Now come on. Let's eat before it gets cold." Maggie nodded and they both got comfortable on the blanket. They took turns eating and feeding each other, with mini makeout sessions throughout the afternoon. The sun continued to sink, bathing the sky in glorious pink and orange colors. It was one of the most amazing sunsets either of them had ever seen. Finally, they were both full, laying on the blanket watching the sun sink closer to the horizon.

"This was amazing Alex," Maggie said, kissing her deeply. "You didn't have to do this."

"You're worth it," Alex said, brushing her hand against her pocket. "You're worth more than this."

"Alex?" Maggie started, but Alex held up a hand. Alex glanced at the sun for a second before focusing on Maggie again.

"You're amazing Maggie. You're beautiful, and smart, and tough, and perfect. I know I haven't been out long, and I've never been with anyone else but you, but I don't need to try other women to know I've found the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. And I know we haven't known each other very long, but I knew as soon as I saw you that I would always want you in my life. I just didn't know how then, but I do now." She took a breath then pulled herself into a kneeling position. Maggie was crying, totally caught off guard at what was happening. "I love you, Maggie Sawyer, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." She fumbled in her pocket, pulling out a box. With trembling hands, she opened it up, holding it towards Maggie. The ring inside put the entire sunset to shame. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," Maggie barely was able to voice her response. Alex smiled and pulled out the ring. "Oh God yes," she whispered as Alex slid the ring on her finger. She pulled Alex to her, their mouths crashing together as she pulled her girlfriend back to the ground. The heavy makeout session continued for another hour until the sun had truly set and it was getting so dark they couldn't see.

"They're should be some flashlights in the basket," Alex told her, breathing heavily. Maggie reached over and pulled one out, quickly turning it on. She quickly pointed it towards Alex. "Shine it over there and I can start a fire," Alex said jumping to her feet.

"Start a fire?" Maggie teased, pointing it toward the kindling. "Next you're going to say you were a Girl Scout." She expected a teasing retort and felt the sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach return when none came. Frowning, she turned back to her girlfriend, shining the light on Alex. She knew immediately that something was wrong.

Alex was standing, swaying gently, but she had gone completely rigid. There was a stream of blood trickling from her nose, running down her face and dripping off her chin. Her eyes were wide, but she wasn't looking at anything that Maggie could see. "Alex?" Maggie asked hesitantly, reaching out to her lover. Without warning Alex fell, her body hitting hard and jerking uncontrollably. Maggie was by her side in an instant, wanting to help but not knowing how. She pulled her phone from her pocket, but there was no signal. She looked around her for anything that could help. She grabbed a blanket and thrust it under Alex's head, shielding it from the worst of the seizure as best she could. Helpless, she looked to the water. Eliza's house was somewhere on the shores. With no other way to help, she took a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Kara!"


	12. Chapter 12

AN: I decided that updating once a week was just not enough. Of course, as soon as I decided that, real life reared its ugly head and all my plans went down the toilet. So, I'm going to try to update twice a week, but no promises.

Thank you so much for the reviews. And whoever put out that story idea, you should definitely write that one. I would definitely read it.

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Here we go," Eliza said as she passed out bowls of ice cream to everyone. They had just finished another remarkable dinner and were celebrating their last night here. They decided to eat outside, everybody enjoying the sunset as they ate good food and enjoyed each other's company.

"Alex and Maggie are sure going to be upset they missed this," James said, as he helped himself to thirds. Eliza laughed.

"I sent some to them," she reassured him. Winn frowned.

"Where did they go anyway? Shouldn't they be back by now? It's getting dark."

"They're going to spend the night under the stars," Kara told them. "They'll be back before we leave tomorrow."

"Wait," Winn asked, confused. "People really do that?"

"Yes," Eliza said, before looking sternly at Kara. She kept inching toward the clearing, barely able to contain her excitement. "And stop spying on your sister."

"Eliza," Kara gasped. "I would never." J'onn looked at her and she backtracked. "Okay, maybe a little. Just to make sure she's okay. She's been really tired lately."

"I'm sure she's fine," Eliza smirked, handing Kara a big bowl of ice cream. Kara took the treat and raised a spoon when she suddenly heard something.

"Alex!" she screamed and took off into the night, J'onn a few seconds behind her. Nothing else could make Maggie sound so scared or desperate.

"What?" Eliza turned to ask, but they were already gone. She turned to James and Winn, but they could only shrug their shoulders.

"She does that sometimes," Winn said, but she could hear the worry in his voice. Worry that she shared when Kara was back a minute later, holding onto her convulsing sister tightly.

"Eliza!" Kara called, rushing towards her foster mother. J'onn landed right behind them, Maggie clutched securely in his arms.

"On the bed," Eliza called, but Kara was already racing into the house. Maggie was one step behind her. "What happened?" she asked as she followed them closely. James and Winn were one step behind.

"I don't know," Maggie said through her tears. "We were kissing when we realized night had fallen. Alex stood up to start a fire and then she just kinda went stiff. She collapsed before I could get to her and started convulsing." They had reached her bedroom. Kara had placed Alex in the center of the bed, guarding her as best she could. She turned worry filled eyes to her mother.

"Eliza? What do I do?" Eliza spared a look at Kara as she made her way to her daughter's side. She could feel the heat coming off her before she even got there.

"We've got to get her temperature down," she said. "Someone, go run a bath."

"On it," James said, rushing out the door.

"Kara, can you cool the water down?" Kara nodded, quickly following James. Eliza quickly reached out a hand to Alex's forehead, checking her temperature the old-fashioned way. She frowned. "I need my medical bag."

"I'll get it," Winn volunteered before stopping uncertainly. "Where is it?"

"In my lab," she answered tersely, checking her pulse the best she could with her daughter still thrashing. He nodded and left just as James came back in.

"The bath's ready. Kara's cooling it down now."

"Thank you, James," Eliza told him. "Can you run down to the freezer and get all the ice you can find?" He paled when he realized what she meant, but quickly left for his assigned task. "J'onn?"

"Of course," he said, lifting Alex up as gently as he could. He quickly took her into the bathroom and was lowering her into the tub, grateful someone had put several towels over the lip to protect her head. She gasped when her overheated body first entered the cold water. She began fighting weakly, but her limbs still mostly flailed without any control. "Easy," he whispered as he held her head as still as possible. "Easy."

"Alex?" Eliza asked, leaning over the edge of the tub. Her eyes were open, but it was clear she wasn't focusing on anything.

"Babe?" Maggie asked, pushing her way into the small room and grabbing Alex's hand tightly.

"I've got the bag," Winn said, placing the medical bag next to Eliza.

"And I've got the ice," James added. He passed the bags over to Kara, who dumped them into the bath. Soon all the ice in the house was loaded in.

"Thank you," she told them absently as she searched her bag. She pulled out the thermometer, placing the measuring tip into Alex's ear. "Damn," she cursed when the number flashed at her.

"High?" J'onn asked, still trying to keep Alex's head still. Eliza nodded.

"Too high." She grabbed a washcloth and began bathing Alex's upper body with the icy water.

"C'mon Alex," Maggie whispered, squeezing her hand with everything she had. "Don't leave me now." It seemed like forever before Alex finally stopped convulsing. Everyone let out a sigh of relief simultaneously. Eliza took her temperature again.

"That's better," she said when the number came back much closer to normal. She turned to the overcrowded room.

"What's wrong with her?" Kara asked, sounding small and scared.

"She had a sudden increase in body temperature," Eliza told her calmly. "A fever. It spiked so suddenly that her body couldn't handle it. That's why she started having seizures." She explained everything simply to her youngest. Even though Kara was an adult and knew more things than she let on, whenever Alex was sick she always reverted to the scared, little girl who lost her whole planet.

"Is she sick?" Kara asked quietly. James quickly put his arm around her shoulders.

"I don't know," Eliza admitted. "I'll have to run some tests. And I'll have to examine her."

"What can I do?" Eliza turned to her youngest.

"Can you find every ice pack we have in this house and freeze them?" Kara nodded and darted out of the room. "Maggie, can you go bring me something clean and dry to put her in? Winn, can you and James go put fresh linens on my bed and turn down the comforter?"

"Your bed?" Winn asked as James pulled him out of the room. Maggie reached out and caressed Alex's face gently.

"I'll be back soon babe," she said, ending with a kiss. She too left, leaving the two elders alone.

"I can arrange transport to the local hospital," J'onn offered. Eliza shook her head.

"I'd like to hold off on that for now," she said, as she watched her daughter carefully. "If this is some sort of superbug, it hit her hard and fast. We, more than likely, have all been exposed, but I don't want to risk contaminating the rest of Midvale. Not until we know more."

"What about Alex?" he asked sharply. "She needs medical treatment."

"She'll get it," Eliza promised him. "I have my lab downstairs. It has all the basic supplies the hospital will have. I'll be able to monitor her here just as well as they can. Better even." He sighed but ultimately gave in.

"Fine, but at the first sign that she's getting worse, I'm moving her, whether you agree or not." Eliza nodded just as Maggie returned.

"I've got some clothes," she said, putting them on the counter. "How much longer are you going to keep her in there?"

"A few more minutes," Eliza told them. She pulled out a stethoscope and listened as her daughter breathed. Apparently, she was happy with what she heard since she quickly put it back in her bag. A few second later Alex's eyes rolled up and closed. "Can you take her out now please?" Eliza asked. J'onn fumbled, realizing they were probably going to strip her down and dry her off right there.

"I can," Kara offered, entering the small bathroom. J'onn whispered his thanks as he joined the men in the hall. A second later Maggie joined them.

"They needed some family time," she told the guys as she shut the door behind her. Seconds later she burst into tears.

"It's okay," J'onn said, pulling her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and clung to him, like a lifeline. Finally, she felt her control coming back. "She'll be okay. She's tough."

"She's Alex," Winn said simply. She shot him a watery smile, which he returned before something caught his attention. "Hey. Is this new? I swear you didn't have a ring before you left." She looked at him. It took him a few minutes to realize what that meant. "She didn't," he gasped. "And you? What did you say?"

"I said yes," she beamed at them before the tears returned again. "Then this happened. Maybe I'm cursed."

"That's ridiculous," James told her, rubbing her shoulder supportively. "You aren't cursed. You're allowed to find love and be happy. Both of you are. This," he waved toward the bathroom door, "is just Alex being Alex. You know if something is going to go wrong, she's going to find a way to make it happen to her." Maggie smiled, just as the door opened. Kara was cradling her sister carefully to her chest as Eliza led them out of the bathroom and into her room.

"The ice packs are on your dresser," Kara said as she carefully laid down her sister in the center of the bed. Eliza came and placed the ice packs strategically around Alex's body before pulling up a sheet to cover her with.

"You need to make sure they stay cold," she told Kara, who nodded emphatically. She reached into her bag and drew out several vials. "I need to draw some blood and get some tests going," she said as she efficiently drew the blood, putting several vials to the side. "It's very important to check her temperature regularly. Let me know the second it starts to spike again." She pulled out the thermometer and took her temperature. She made a note on her bedside pad of paper.

"We'll keep a close eye," Maggie promised, sitting next to her girlfriend. She reached over and grabbed her hand, gently kissing the back of it. Eliza gave her a supportive smile.

"I'll be back in a minute with an IV, but if she wakes up it's very important to keep her as hydrated as possible." They nodded, as everyone prepared for another vigil. A few hours later Eliza returned, looking pale and scared.

"There's been no change," Kara told her. "She still has a fever but it hasn't gone up any."

"That's good sweetie." She smiled at her youngest before focusing on J'onn. "Can you arrange transport?"

"Of course," he agreed, pulling out his phone. "Which hospital?" She shook her head.

"Not a hospital," she said quietly. "The DEO."

"What?" Kara gasped. "What's wrong with her?"

"Sweetie," she started. She reached out and grabbed Maggie's hand and looked between the two of them. "She didn't pick up something that made her sick."

"Then what is it?" Maggie asked, her hands starting to shake in fear. Eliza sighed.

"I'm not sure what's happening," she admitted, "but I do know what's causing it. Her fever is being caused by mutations in her own genetic code." She looked over to J'onn. "Whatever Dr. Storm did to her, it's starting."

* * *

"Are you sure you're up for this?" J'onn asked as Kara paced back and forth in the interrogation room. She had donned her super suit and was trying to wait patiently. Trying, but failing.

"I have to do something," she replied. J'onn nodded. He hadn't felt this helpless since his own family had been murdered.

"Just remember, let me do the talking."

"I'm just here as muscle," Kara nodded, going over the plan again in her head. They were bringing Dr. Storm in again, hoping this time he would talk. Of course, Kara already had a backup plan in mind.

"Hitting him won't help," J'onn said, covering her fist with his hand.

"I thought you couldn't read my mind," Kara said as J'onn gently massaged her hand until she released her fist.

"It's not your mind I'm reading," he told her gently. "It's your body language." He released her hand. "You need to relax. We need him to trust us if we're going to get anything useful out of him."

"I know, I know," she reluctantly admitted. She forced herself to relax, leaning against the wall casually, but every muscle in her body tensed as soon as the door opened. She forced herself to stay still as the guards cuffed him to the table.

"Well, well," he said politely. J'onn shot Kara a warning glance before sitting down at the table, opposite him. "Director J'onzz and Supergirl. National City's two most trusted aliens. To what do I owe this honor."

"I was hoping we could talk, Dr. Storm," J'onn said pleasantly. Dr. Storm smiled.

"So your agent did survive," he said, sounding happy. Kara growled under her breath. "I was worried. I expected to be in this room two weeks ago, but she is strong. Much stronger than I anticipated."

"What exactly did she survive?" J'onn asked quietly. Dr. Storm shook his head.

"We're getting ahead of ourselves," he smiled again before turning serious. "Has the fever started?"

"Your doing I take it?" He nodded sadly.

"There was no other way," he said quietly. "I am desperate. My research hit a brick wall. I couldn't continue, but you have resources I can only dream of. Together, we can make it work."

"Make what work?" J'onn asked. He smiled again.

"A cure." He shook his head. "You need to go to my lab. It's in an old warehouse by the docks. Eighth street and Waterfront Way. The access code is 952699315. Tell the automatons Project Icarus has commenced. They will give you copies of all my research and data, as well as a recording I made that will further help you understand my need." J'onn looked at him intently. "I should point out that your agent doesn't have any time for you to waste. This first part of the treatment is the most crucial. I can help your agent, but not until you help me." J'onn stared at him intently, trying to read his mind again. Finally, he gave up. He snarled and motioned for the guards to take him back to his cell.

"Let's go," Kara said as soon as he was out of the room.

"You know this is probably a trap," J'onn said as he followed her out.

"I don't care," she said. "I can't do nothing." J'onn nodded. He called for a strike team to that address.

"Just be careful," he said, but she was already gone. Sighing, he quickly took after her. She had already entered the access code and was inside by the time he caught up with her. "What part of caution are you not understanding?" he hissed as he quickly checked his surroundings. He stopped when he heard several pairs of booted feet heading their way. "Get down," he commanded, but Kara just headed toward them.

"Intruder alert." A robotic figure entered the room, followed by more robots. The robots were clearly in a defensive mode. Several had weapons where hands would be. As more and more piled into the room, each robot looked slightly more human.

"Automatons," Kara said, running up to them. "Project Icarus!" she yelled. This stopped the automatons. "Project Icarus has commenced."

"Project Icarus," the first robot spoke. "Stand down defensive mode." The rest of the automatons reversed, going back to what they were doing. The first one stayed with Kara though.

"What is Project Icarus?" Kara asked, looking around the warehouse. The outer area was as expected, but Kara could see an inner wall, where the majority of the automatons were returning too, and even a third, smaller area completely contained.

"Project Icarus is the final stage of the cure for Miss Edith," the automaton answered. "Are you the organic who will care for her now?"

"We were told to pick up some research," J'onn answered slowly.

"This way," the automaton said, heading toward the outer wall. They stopped short when they saw the entire back wall of the warehouse had been stacked with filing cabinets, stuffed so full papers were spilling out of them. Boxes were stacked on top of each other. Maps with lines crisscrossing everywhere.

"This is going to take a while," Kara said. J'onn nodded. She turned back to the automaton. "There was a recording as well?" The automaton led them to another area with dozens of computers, hundreds of hard drives, thousands of thumb drives. "Oh boy," Kara said as they heard the sounds of the strike team pulling up.

"Intruder alert," the automaton shrieked, heading back to the main entrance. "Initiating defensive mode." The sounds of the other automaton's entering forced them back to reality.

"No!" Kara shouted, jumping in front of the automaton. "Project Icarus."

"Project Icarus," the automaton repeated. "Stand down defensive mode." He turned to Kara. "Are you the organic that will care for Miss Edith?"

"Yes," Kara said abruptly. The automaton headed back to the second entranceway.

"Begin final stage of Project Icarus," it said, zooming into the inner room.

"What is the final stage of Project Icarus?" Kara asked, following it. As soon as she crossed the second doorway she could see all the automatons moving about. All muttering about the final stage of Project Icarus.

"The final stage of Project Icarus is the transfer of Miss Edith's care from automatons to organics," the automaton said.

"And what do the automatons do once organics take over her care?" J'onn asked, readying his weapon just in case.

"Once care is transferred, automatons stand down and wait for further instructions." The automaton zipped off, but neither Kara nor J'onn followed. Their eyes were on the third room and the child who was sleeping inside.

* * *

Maggie looked up at the sound of the door opening. She smiled weakly at Kara. "Anything?" she asked desperately.

"Yeah, actually," Kara admitted, frowning slightly. "He led us to his lab. Actually, led isn't the right word. More like he gave us the keys and told us to make ourselves at home."

"He wants our help," Maggie said. She had been thinking nonstop about the short conversation she had with him that started this whole mess. "You don't hide anything when you want help."

"But there's so much there," Kara said, sitting in the chair and reaching for Alex's hand. "It's like, he brought us to the haystack so we can help him find the needle."

"With Alex's life at stake," Maggie said, clenching her hand tighter, rubbing circles with her thumb on the back of Alex's hand. She hadn't moved from that spot since Alex had collapsed.

"I don't think Alex is the only life at stake," Kara said quietly. "There's a girl in his lab. The automatons kept talking about caring for her. I think all this is to cure her."

"So why does he need the DEO's help for that?" Maggie asked. "Why do this to Alex? None of this makes sense."

"It will," Kara said, reaching across her sister and clasping both their hands. "Winn's going through every bit of information he can. We have teams going over every scrap of paper in that building. It will just take some time."

"Time she might not have," Maggie said, squeezing her hand harder. "Her fever's rising again." Kara checked the monitors to confirm what Maggie said. "Dr. Hamilton is trying everything she can think of, but so far only ice packs and ice baths are having any sort or effect. She's pretty sure it's related to the changes her DNA have undergone. Eliza's trying to track it, figure out a way to undo whatever he did, but she's been working on it for months without any success."

"They're going to keep working on this until they figure it out," Kara reassured the detective. "They're not going to let Alex down. She's going to be fine."

"I hope so," Maggie said, letting her head drop onto the bed. Partially to rest. Partially to hide the tears. Kara smiled sadly at her.

"You should rest," she said.

"I'm not leaving," Maggie insisted. Kara shook her head.

"I said rest, not leave. Close your eyes. I promise I'll be here if anything happens." Maggie nodded her head, suddenly feeling exhausted. Within minutes she was asleep. Kara looked up at her sister. "You've got to fight Alex," she whispered in her ear. "Fight for that woman who loves you more than life itself."


	13. Chapter 13

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Agent Schott," J'onn asked as soon as he entered the conference room the next morning. "What do we know?"

"Well," Winn started, uncomfortable with everyone staring at him. Everyone being J'onn, Kara, Maggie, Eliza, James, and Dr. Hamilton. He swallowed before focusing on his computer. "I figured out why we couldn't get any information on him before. Dr. Nicholas Storm isn't his real name. His real name is Nicholas Planchard. He married Alice Storm about twenty years ago. They settled down and started raising a family while he finished school. He became a bio-engineer and eventually formed a startup company, Storm Labs."

"Where did he get the money for a start up?" J'onn asked.

"His wife," Winn typed some commands and old bank statements popped up on the screen. "She wasn't ridiculously wealthy, but she did have a pretty penny. She funded his research. He was working on something that will 'revolutionize the world', his words not mine."

"Does it have anything to do with robotics?" Kara asked.

"A solid guess considering all his little friends down there," Winn said, "but nobody really knows. There's a few patents for random things; a new operating system, a unique microchip assembly, a new polymer sequence for plastics. Enough to keep the company running, but not enough to really tip his hand at his true purpose."

"There's no way he would have kept robotic technology that advanced quiet," J'onn said. Winn nodded.

"Here's where the story gets interesting, and a little sad." Winn pulled up some old newspapers. "One night, about ten years ago, he's working late at the lab when there's a home invasion. But these aren't your average everyday criminals. They use a form of chemical warfare nobody has ever seen before to kill their victims then loot them to their hearts content."

"I remember hearing about that case," Maggie piped up. "They use it at the Academy to stress the importance of knowing what you're walking into. The pictures of the family gave me nightmares for weeks."

"They're pretty gruesome," Winn agreed.

"That case was never solved," Maggie added thoughtfully.

"Anyway, daddy dearest was supposed to be home that night. He gets hit with a wicked case of survivor's guilt. Sells the company and goes off the grid. That's the last official record of him."

"Probably when he changed his name to Storm," J'onn said thoughtfully.

"We're missing something," Maggie said suddenly. "We've got the beginning and we have the end, but the pieces aren't lining up. Where did he go? How does the girl fit in? Something happened between those times."

"What about the recording?" Kara asked. Winn winced.

"I did find it," he said, turning around to face them.

"What did it say?" James asked. Winn sighed.

"You know when you're setting up your voicemail?" He asked suddenly. "You think for hours about what you're gonna say, then when it comes time to record you mess up. So you try again. And again. And again."

"You're point Agent Schott?" J'onn asked.

"He did that on his recording, except he never started the tape over. By the time he got it right and started in on what he really needed to say…"

"The tape ended," James said, sighing heavily.

"I think he's insane," Winn added.

"You can't say that for sure," Dr. Hamilton protested. "Not without giving him a full examination."

"You didn't listen to that tape for hours," Winn countered. "I have an insane murderer for a father. I know a crazy rant when I hear one."

"What about the rest of the computers?" J'onn asked.

"Mostly him speaking his thoughts into the camera," Winn told everyone. "Sometimes he recorded an experiment he did, but I've barely had time to scratch the surface."

"Same with the paper files," Dr. Hamilton added. "I've had teams searching through everything that looked like it might have anything to do with Agent Danvers condition. So far we've had negative results."

"I'd like to help," James offered. "Another pair of eyes." J'onn nodded.

"Keep at it. Somewhere there's a scrap of information that will make everything make sense. In the meantime, I think I need to have another chat with our good doctor." Everyone nodded and filed out of the room.

* * *

Alex groaned silently as she came too. She blinked open bleary eyes, focusing on the blurry form in front of her until she recognized Maggie. Maggie was sitting next to her bed, holding her hand lightly, using Alex's leg to prop up a file that she was studying. Alex watched as she turned a page, a small frown playing out on her face. "Mags?" she croaked out. The file was immediately forgotten.

"Hey you," Maggie smiled, moving to the head of the bed. She hit the call button before grabbing the water from the bedside table. She carefully helped Alex sip the water.

"That must have been one hell of a makeout session," Alex joked as soon as her thirst was quenched.

"Nerd," Maggie groaned, cupping her face gently and kissing her. The ring dazzled in the lights.

"So I did ask?" Alex asked her quietly. Maggie nodded. "And you said yes?"

"Of course I did," she whispered before frowning. "Don't you remember?"

"It's all a bit hazy," Alex admitted before smiling at Maggie, "plus I've dreamed of that moment so many times I wasn't sure if it really happened or if I was dreaming again."

"It did," Maggie confirmed, "and now you, Alex Danvers, are going to be stuck with me forever."

"Till death do us part," Alex whispered. Maggie nodded, closing her eyes against the tears she could feel coming. Alex gave her a minute, focusing on the room.

"DEO?" she asked. Maggie nodded just as the door opened. Dr. Hamilton came into the room, followed by her mother. She shot Maggie an irritated look before realizing what this meant. "This isn't the stomach bug?"

"No babe," Maggie said, caressing her cheek lightly. Alex swallowed and nodded.

"It's starting, isn't it?" Maggie nodded.

"Detective Sawyer?" Dr. Hamilton interrupted them. "I need to examine Agent Danvers now that she is awake. Would you please step outside for a moment."

"Sure." She turned back to Alex. "I'll just be outside babe. If you need me."

"Kay," Alex said, smiling gently until Maggie had cleared the door. She turned back to the two women. "How bad is it?" They shared a look before Eliza stepped forward.

"We still don't know sweetie." Alex nodded, lost in thought. "We're trying everything we can think of." She reached out and squeezed her daughter's hand.

"Dr. Danvers," Amelia broke in. "I really need to examine her. Can you please step outside?" Eliza nodded.

"Take care of her," Alex asked, nodding toward the hallway where Maggie was waiting. She didn't let go of her mother's hand until Eliza nodded. Alex reluctantly released her. Eliza slowly backed away into the hall. Maggie immediately looked up.

"She kicked you out too?" Maggie asked, sitting down heavily against the wall. They watched a pair of nurses enter the room. "I thought you were a doctor. Why couldn't you stay?"

"Wrong kind of doctor," Eliza told her, sliding down the wall to join her. "Besides, it would be unethical to treat my own daughter."

"But back at the house?" Maggie started.

"Desperation," Eliza answered. "But now there are other options. It would be in everyone's best interest to let Dr. Hamilton continue as her primary physician, while I stick to the lab where I'm best at."

"Desperation," Maggie repeated, frowning slightly. "Desperation."

"What?" Eliza asked. Maggie shook her head.

"Have you been able to find anything that helps?" Eliza shook her head.

"Teams have been combing through everything since they found his lab, but there's just so much information. Most of it doesn't even pertain to us." She sighed. "He has an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder than makes it impossible to throw anything away. He's also paranoid, which means he has his own filing system. Something that makes sense to him but is a complete mystery to everyone else."

"So we're getting nowhere fast," Maggie sighed, hanging her head in her hands. "Has he talked to anyone else?" She shook her head.

"He says he won't talk until we have a treatment plan for Edith. We still can't even figure out what's wrong with her, let alone how to help."

"So now we're as desperate as he is," Maggie said, frowning again.

"What are you thinking dear?" Eliza asked. Maggie sighed.

"We're missing something. The pieces are not lining up." They both looked up when the door opened. They were on their feet as soon as Dr. Hamilton exited.

"She's sleeping now," she told them, "but it doesn't look like the extended unconsciousness of before. The nurses are getting her settled, then you can go back inside." Maggie nodded. Eliza gave her a quick hug then followed Amelia down the hall, back to the labs. A minute later the nurses exited the room. Maggie took her spot by the bed and settled in for another vigil.


	14. Chapter 14

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Director J'onzz." J'onn looked up at the unexpected voice, smiling when he saw who was standing in his doorway.

"Director Lane," he gestured for her to come in. "What an unexpected surprise. What brings you out of DC?"

"I heard about Agent Danvers," she said quietly. J'onn's smile immediately fell. "How's she doing?"

"Not good," he admitted reluctantly.

"I brought something I hope can help," she said, reaching into her briefcase. She pulled out a folder and handed it to him. He took it curiously, opening it and skimming the documents. His frown deepened as he read.

"DNA resequencing," he murmured under his breath, "genetic splicing." He closed it sharply. "Adams!" he called out to a passing agent, who quickly diverted to his door. "Get this to Dr. Hamilton immediately." The agent nodded, taking the folder and running out of the room. J'onn refocused his gaze on Lucy. "What was that and why is this the first time I'm seeing it?" Lucy sighed, sitting down heavily.

"This is the official proposal Dr. Storm submitted to the DEO." She paused for a minute. "After the Daxamite invasion, when the DEO was brought out into the open, the DC office was flooded with mail." J'onn nodded. He had expected the massive amounts of mail after the agency was outed and was relieved when he was told everything was being diverted to Washington. "Our office got thousands of letters. Some thanking us for keeping the world safe, others informing us that their next-door neighbor was an alien and we should come take them away. Then proposals came from every scientist, entrepreneur, writer, even historian. It took us months to sort everything out. To figure out what was real and what wasn't."

"But this one slipped through the cracks," J'onn said angrily. Lucy sighed.

"It was flagged initially," she told him, "which is why I even remember it. The science was a bit far-fetched but all hypothetical. It made it to the second level of scrutiny." J'onn sighed.

"Where it was killed once you investigated Dr. Storm and realized he did not exist." J'onn put his head in his hands. The answer was right in front of them the whole time. They could have saved Alex all this pain if they had just looked closer. But, he admitted to himself, he would have done the same thing. He would have killed the hypothetical research when the name associated with it was fictitious. Lucy reached out and covered one of his hands with hers.

"I'm sorry we didn't dig deeper," she told him. He raised his head, seeing the guilt in her eyes. The same guilt that was in his.

"You found the proposal," he reassured her. "That's more than we had."

"I also brought a team in to help," she smiled at him. "An expert team of paper pushers. They're down at the warehouse right now."

"Paper pushers?" J'onn asked. Lucy smirked.

"It's a skill you develop when working with politicians," she told him. "You learn to read between the lines, figure out what a document is really saying. Now, my team won't know what any equations or medical jargon on the paper means, but they'll be able to tell which ones need to go to Dr. Hamilton right away and which ones can wait."

"Thank you," he said, smiling slightly.

"She's my friend too," she said quietly, before straightening up. "But I do have an official reason for coming. A proposal President Marsden and myself have been working on." She reached into her briefcase once more. "We would like to get your thoughts, unofficially and officially." She handed him another folder, this one much thicker. "Take your time. I'm going to be in town for a while and I know you have other things on your mind right now. Just look at it when things calm down, or when you need a distraction." He put it on his desk and was about to open it when he was called to Command.

"Never a dull moment," he said as he stood up. "You're welcome to join me." Lucy shook her head.

"I think I'm going to check on Alex." He nodded and left his office. She followed him out and then made her way to the Med Bay. She didn't need to ask to know which room was Alex's. There was only one room with doctors and nurses rushing in and out. She stepped into the room, just inside the doorway and watched.

Alex's fever was clearly spiking again. A team of nurses were to the side, preparing an ice bath, while a second team of nurses were doing everything they could to lower Alex's temperature. Dr. Hamilton stood at the head of the bed, eyes flitting between the monitor and Alex. Every few minutes she would issue new orders, but it seemed like nothing was working. Lucy frowned when she saw the temperature reading, which was steadily going up.

Alex herself was awake, but clearly not aware what was going on. She was struggling against everyone around her, including Kara. Kara was at her sister's side, squeezing her hand gently and whispering reassuring words, but Alex was beyond hearing. She was delirious.

"We're ready Doctor," one of the nurses said when they finished preparing the ice bath. Lucy frowned when she looked over. The tub was half filled with water, but Dr. Hamilton just glanced over and nodded.

"Kara?" she said gently. Kara nodded and stepped over to the tub while the nurses prepared to move Alex. Within seconds Kara had frozen the water. A few well-placed shots from her heat vision had the ice breaking into small chunks. It was an impressive display, and totally lost on Lucy who could not take her eyes of Alex.

As soon as her sister stepped away, the nurses pulled away the thin sheet that was covering her. They started disconnecting her from the various machines that were recording her vitals, but all Lucy could focus on were the restraints. How bad must it have gotten for them to put Alex into restraints, or for Kara to allow that.

"Dr. Hamilton?" Kara's quiet voice broke through Lucy's musings. She watched as the doctor studied the readouts once more before nodding.

"Now Kara," she said, motioning for the nurses to remove the restraints. Alex nearly toppled out of the bed as soon as she was free, but Kara was there to scoop her up.

"It's okay Alex," Kara said quietly as she carefully carried her to the ice bath. Alex fought her the whole way. "It's okay. I've got you. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Alex gasped when Kara gently lowered her into the bath and fought harder. Kara was ready though, and easily secured her flailing arms and legs while maintaining her gentle grip, so she didn't sink completely down. After a minute her strength left her, and she sagged into the icy water. Hamilton ordered Kara to slowly lower her down until she was totally submerged, with Kara only keeping her head out of the water. They watched as lucidity slowly crept back into Alex's eyes. Finally, Alex was able to focus on her sister. She gave her a weak smile and raised a shaking hand.

"M..Mags," she forced out over shivering teeth. A woman Lucy didn't know rushed over, grabbing her hand as she knelt to the side of the bath.

"I'm here Alex," she cried quietly, squeezing her hand as hard as she could. Alex squeezed back as hard as she could but kept her focus on her sister. The three of them stayed like that for a few minutes before Dr. Hamilton spoke.

"Can you lower her head slowly," she asked Kara gently. Kara nodded, never breaking eye contact. She readjusted her grip on Alex's neck and slowly lowered her head. She didn't stop until Alex's head was almost completely submerged. Alex gasped, her grip tightening ever so slightly, but she never broke eye contact with Kara. Her teeth started chattering as her body shivered uncontrollably, but nobody moved. Finally, her body relaxed. Her grip slackened, and her eyes rolled up as she lost consciousness.

"Okay," Dr. Hamilton said after a few minutes. "That's enough." Kara nodded and easily lifted her sister from the ice. Lucy blinked and realized the room had not been idle while she was focusing on the three women. The med team had a gurney next to the bath, where Kara gently deposited her sister before stepping back. Dr. Hamilton and her team surrounded the unconscious woman, doing their checks while they dried her off and put her into a clean gown. A quick look at the bed showed the linens had been changed and everything was ready again. Lucy frowned. This was obviously not the first time they had done this. A quiet sob drew her attention to the opposite side of the room.

Kara had pulled the mystery woman to the side while the med team swarmed her sister. The woman was crying quietly into Kara's sweater while they watched the activity.

"It's okay Maggie," Kara comforted the mystery woman. "It's okay. Her heart's still beating strong." Kara listened hard then frowned.

"What is it?" Maggie asked, glancing at Kara's face. Kara smiled down at her.

"There's a small wheezing when she breathes," she said quietly before smiling at the other woman. "I'm sure it's nothing. Dr. Hamilton warned us this might happen."

"What might happen?" Lucy asked, stepping closer to the two women. They jumped, obviously not hearing her come in, then Kara smiled brightly.

"Lucy," Kara beamed. Maggie tried to pull away, stand up straighter with a stranger standing so close, but Kara wouldn't let her go. With one arm firmly around the detective, she opened the other arm for Lucy. Lucy complied, falling into the hug easily. She had forgotten just how comforting Kara's hugs were.

"Kara," Lucy started when she pulled away, only to notice something different. "You're blue." Kara laughed as she held out her hand for Lucy to see.

"Alex did always say blue was my signature color," she joked, releasing some tension. Maggie snorted but stopped trying to pull away from the Kryptonian. Instead she just leaned against her as she watched the med team working on Alex. "It will go away soon. I'm much more immune to the cold then the average human." Lucy frowned before realizing what happened. Kara had been holding onto Alex since she was first lowered into the tub.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked. Kara nodded before remembering the woman tucked into her side.

"Lucy, this is Detective Maggie Sawyer," Kara introduced them. "Maggie, this is Director Lucy Lane." Maggie threw her a quick glance before focusing on Alex again.

"DEO?" Maggie asked. Lucy nodded. "Is J'onn in trouble or something?" Lucy frowned. The DEO might be public knowledge now, but they still operated in secrecy and this detective knew a lot. Lucy was going to retort when Dr. Hamilton joined them. "How is she?" Maggie quickly asked.

"Her temperature has stabilized," Dr. Hamilton told them. "I'm going to keep her on the ice packs and cooling blanket. Hopefully we can keep her temperature down." They all sighed. They all knew it would just be a matter of time before her fever started rising again. Hamilton paused before turning to look at Maggie. "She developed a slight congestion in her right lung."

"What does that mean?" Maggie asked, looking between the doctor and Kara. Kara hugged her tight.

"We knew there were risks using the ice bath," Amelia told her gently. "The sudden temperature change puts tremendous strain on the body. Pneumonia is a very real possibility."

"You think she's developing it?"

"We'll be watching very closely," Dr. Hamilton told her, "and treating it very aggressively. I'm going to start her on Oxygen. You can take the mask off when she's lucid, but please keep it on the rest of the time." Maggie nodded. Dr. Hamilton returned to Alex's bed and made a few notes in her chart. Once they were ready, Kara gently moved Alex back into her bed. Then she stepped back and they all watched as the nurses hooked Alex up again. Once they were done they left and Maggie and Kara took their places next to the bed. Kara on the right and Maggie on the left.

"Kara," Lucy started carefully as she watched from the foot of the bed. "Don't you think it's a little dangerous to let someone else know your secret?"

"What?" Kara asked, looking behind her. "Oh. Maggie's not just some random stranger from the streets. She's family." Lucy looked confused. "She's Alex's fiancée."

"Alex's fiancée?" Lucy sputtered, looking between the two women. Maggie glanced back at her, her hand never leaving Alex's.

"Do you have a problem with that?" she asked seriously. Lucy shook her head.

"I just never realized," she started. Maggie turned back to Alex.

"It was all very sudden," Kara said, looking at her sister lovingly. "She and Maggie met over a crime scene. They instantly connected, though Alex wasn't exactly sure how at the time. They started hanging out and one day Alex realized."

"She was gay," Lucy finished. Kara nodded and added.

"And in love with Maggie. I guess it has been a quick romance, but certainly not without its ups and downs. It's been truly awe inspiring to watch." She looked to Lucy. "Everyone here knows and supports them. I would like for that group to include you too."

"I would like that too," Lucy said, smiling at the detective before looking to Kara. "When you say everyone?"

"James included," she said sweetly before grinning. "Although Maggie and Supergirl still butt heads from time to time."

"Only because someone can be incredibly stubborn and pig headed," Maggie added.

"Only because someone else can be way to cautious," Kara retorted. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Kara! Do we need to go over the secret part of secret identity?" Kara grinned shyly.

"Is this a bad time to tell you I told Lena Luthor?"

"Kara!" Lucy exclaimed as turned to leave. "I'll check back later okay?" Kara nodded.

"Who was that?" Maggie asked once they were alone again.

"Lucy Lane," Kara told her again.

"Lane?" Maggie asked thoughtfully. "As in Lois?" Kara huffed.

"Don't let her hear you say that name," she warned. "She hates being compared to her older sister." Maggie smiled.

"Finally, someone in this city has a normal family dynamic." Kara frowned, which caused Maggie to smile more. "Relax little Danvers. So, she's an old friend?"

"Kinda," she admitted. "She's James's old girlfriend. She followed him to National City so they could try again. She kinda joined the club that way. Of course, she's an amazing woman in her own right, so even though things didn't work out with James, she stayed."

"At the DEO?" Maggie asked. Kara frowned.

"No, she actually was Army. With the JAG core. When J'onn was outed, she was appointed Interim Director. Then Non activated Myriad and J'onn and I were the only ones not effected. Once we saved everyone, General Lane tried to get Lucy to take J'onn back into custody. She refused and has been with the DEO ever since."

"As Director?" Maggie asked. Kara nodded.

"She stayed at the Bunker for a while," she explained. "The Bunker was designed more as a prison than anything, but when we were rounding up Fort Rozz prisoners almost every day we based our operations out of there. The prisoners were just too dangerous to be taken into the city. When Astra died and Non was defeated, the remaining Fort Rozz prisoners all faded into the shadows again. J'onn and most of the field agents went back to National City, while those at the Bunker became the jailers they were trained for. After a few months a position opened up at the DC office. Lucy applied, got the job, and has been doing amazing work there."

"Washington DC? I didn't think there were any aliens in DC?"

"Have you not seen Congress?" Kara joked. Maggie laughed. "But seriously. National City is the first to offer aliens amnesty, the first to give aliens a home, that's why there's so many here. So many living openly too. A few live in Metropolis, under the blanket protection of my cousin, but some blend in so well they live all over the world. That's why the DEO has bases all over the world. The one in DC doesn't get a lot of field action. It's mostly administrative, but it's highly political. Something that Lucy thrives at."

"She keeps you going so you can keep the world safe," Maggie surmised. As a detective, she spent enough time playing the game to know how the world works. She was about to say more when Alex started blinking. "Hey you," she whispered, putting herself directly in Alex's line of sight.

"Hey," Alex smiled, then frowned when she realized something was covering her face. Kara quickly slipped the mask off and just as quickly fetched some water. She held the cup steady as Alex drank as much as she could, her eyes never leaving Maggie's. "It happened again, didn't it?"

"It's okay," Maggie told her. Alex sighed, closing her eyes heavily. "Do you need anything?"

"Hold me?" Alex asked weakly as she shuffled to the side of the bed. Maggie, already knowing what was coming, had kicked her shoes off and was sliding into the small space, her arms circling her lover and pulling her tight. Alex relaxed into the embrace. They both knew it would only be a matter of minutes before she was sleeping. Kara gently reapplied the mask before placing a gentle kiss on Alex's forehead.

"I'll just go check on any progress," she said, kissing Maggie's forehead as she left, determined to give them some time alone. Maggie nodded distractedly as her entire attention was focused on Alex. Alex, who was sleeping peacefully against her. Alex, who would soon enter fevered dreams and delirium. Alex, who would soon start fighting so hard against everything around her, herself and Kara included, that she would need to be restrained. Alex, who would soon be dunked in that ice bath again, only for the cycle to start again. Alex, who was fading before her eyes and there was nothing that Maggie could do to help her.


	15. Chapter 15

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Please tell me you have something," Maggie asked as she stepped back so the nurses could restrain her lover. It had been three days and Alex had just gotten worse. Her fever had gotten so bad and stayed for so long Dr. Hamilton was worried about brain damage the longer it continued. It didn't help that her time spent lucid was getting shorter and shorter, or that it took longer and longer to focus on her friends. Everyone was getting worried and still nothing they did worked. "Didn't Lucy's team find anything?"

"They found a lot," Eliza told her, pulling the stressed detective into a quick hug. "We pretty much know exactly what he did and how he did it. What we don't know is how to undo it."

"And there's nothing in his notes about what happened to Edith," Kara said gently, "so we can't even try to start a treatment."

"And he won't even talk to us anymore until we have a treatment plan for Edith," Maggie sighed heavily, her body aching with exhaustion. "I don't get it. He spent years on this, developing a way to splice specific genes and insert his own sequences. Pharmaceutical companies would kill for this kind of medical breakthroughs, but he never tried to profit from them. Winn is practically drooling every time he even thinks about the automatons. And he said Storm made hundreds of other little breakthroughs from everything from hypoallergenic fabrics to ventilation systems. He even invented a better light bulb. But he never filed for a patent on any of these things."

"They've all been for Edith," Kara answered. "To improve her quality of life."

"And he did whatever he did to Alex to make us help Edith," Maggie said, "but there's nothing in his research about what happened to her."

"Maybe he never found the cause," Lucy spoke up. The detective frowned, giving the Director her full attention. "Maybe he only had the effect. Something happened that made Edith extremely sensitive to light, so he completely redesigns his lighting and electrical system until it's something she can tolerate."

"That would explain all his seemingly random breakthroughs," Kara said. "But what could have happened that would cause all this?"

"And why does he think the DEO can fix it?" Maggie asked, a clearer picture forming in her head. Whoever Edith was, she was very important to him. He had devoted his life to making sure she was as comfortable as possible, but she was still missing something. Whatever happened to Edith initially. "Is he still not talking?" Lucy shook her head. She had tried getting him to talk, hoping a strange face would prompt him, but it still didn't work. "Can I try?"

"You sure?" J'onn asked, staring at her intently. She returned the stare.

"I need to try," she said. "He's the key. If he won't talk to members of the DEO, maybe he'll talk to someone who's not."

"Alright," J'onn finally agreed. "But don't do anything stupid. Alex will kill me when she wakes up if she has to break you out of prison." She smiled at him gently, knowing exactly why he made that joke. "I'll have him brought down to interrogation." Maggie thanked him and headed back to Alex.

"Hey babe," she said, holding the restrained hand gently. Alex was awake but lost in her delirium. She glanced briefly at Maggie before refocusing on something only she could see. "I need to step away for a bit," she said, squeezing her hand gently, "but Kara's going to be here this whole time. Okay?" She squeezed again, happy when Alex returned the gesture, even minimally. She stepped away, tears in her eyes, as Kara quickly took her place. Kara started speaking about their adventures as kids, which helped ground Alex more than anything else.

"He's ready," J'onn said as Maggie stepped out of the room. "Are you?"

"I need a minute," she told him. He nodded.

"I'll be in the observation room," he told her. "Don't do anything stupid." She nodded. He watched her for a minute before walking away. She detoured to the locker room, grabbing a quick shower to help wash her tear tracks away. Twenty minutes, when she finally felt more like herself, she put her best cop face on and went down to meet her suspect.

"Have you finally developed a treatment?" Dr. Storm asked. He was staring intently at the two-way mirror and didn't even look up when she entered.

"No," she said it as strongly as she could, but it sounded weak to her ears. He turned at the unfamiliar voice, studying her as she rounded the table, facing him.

"You're not DEO," he said, sounding confused. She shook her head.

"I'm not," she agreed, feeling more confident as she fell into her comfort zone. Interrogating suspects she could do any day of the week. "I'm a cop. Detective Sawyer of the NCPD, Science division."

"Science division?" he asked, studying her intently. She nodded.

"It means anything strange or abnormal," she told him. "Things most people don't want anything to do with."

"You were with them when they caught me," he said, frowning at the memory. Then his eyes lit up. "You're Maggie. She cried out for you several times."

"She's very important to me," Maggie told him, hoping the sincerity in her voice would sway him somehow, "which is why I'm going to do everything in my power to help her."

"Edith is very important to me," he countered calmly, "which is why I'm going to do everything in my power to help her."

"Who is Edith?" Maggie asked. Storm looked up.

"She's my daughter," he said quietly. Maggie looked at him intently. "We are both fighting for our loved ones. I am truly sorry I had to inflict this on Alex."

"If you're truly sorry, then help her," Maggie all but shouted. Storm looked at her compassionately.

"I can and will help her," he smiled at her, "as soon as someone helps me."

"She's your insurance policy," Maggie said, as realization dawned on her. He nodded sadly.

"I hoped it wouldn't come to this," he said sincerely, "but my request for help was rejected. I had no other choice." He looked back at the mirror. "I led you to my research. You should have all the answers you need." Maggie sighed.

"I want to help you," she said, reaching out and holding his hands gently. "Helping you helps Alex, and there is nothing I wouldn't do for Alex. But you've got to help me too." He nodded. "Now there's a lot of stuff in that warehouse, but I'm not a scientist. The formulas, the theories, they don't mean anything to me. I'm a cop. I deal in events. Can you help me piece together what happened in a way I can understand?" He nodded again. "Now there's a lot of information on what you did to Alex, and what you did to help Edith, but nothing on how Edith came to need help. Was she sick? Was it a genetic disease? Or did something happen to her?"

"You should know what happened to her," he spat out, his calm façade slipping ever so slightly. "The DEO caused this."

"Wait!" Maggie ordered, raising her hands and signaling him to stop. "What do you mean the DEO caused this?"

"The DEO was behind the entire thing," he growled.

"How do you know that?" Maggie asked.

"They asked me to join them," he said quietly. "I refused. They asked again, this time adding a threat at the end. I didn't take the threat seriously. If I had known what they were capable of."

"The DEO killed your family?" Maggie asked. Storm nodded, lost in his own dark thoughts.

"Two days after I refused for the second time, my home was attacked. I was supposed to be there for dinner, I had promised my children, but a last-minute breakthrough stole all my attention. By the time I realized it was so late, my family was already dead. I arrived home to the grisly scene."

"An unidentified nerve agent was used," Maggie said. "The police had never seen anything like it." He nodded. "It's what prompted the creation of the Science Division."

"There were two things I managed to hide from the police before they arrived," he told her. "The first was the note from the DEO encouraging me to rethink their offer. The second, was my youngest daughter, Edith. She was still a baby, six months old, and upstairs in her crib when the attack happened. I wrapped her up and put her in the trunk of my car before the police came. It didn't occur to me until later why she was sleeping so well."

"What happened next?" Maggie asked. Storm looked at her.

"The police came. Whatever they DEO used liquified my wife and children from the inside out, so when I lied and told them all my children died they never questioned. I answered their questions to the best of my ability, but was extremely distraught, which, again, they never questioned. As soon as I could, I left, taking my youngest with me without anyone ever knowing. I stayed at a hotel that night, my daughter sleeping by my side. The next morning, I found a note under my door from the DEO, asking if I had reconsidered." He took a deep breath. "I knew then we would never be safe. If it was just me, I would have simply let them kill me, but my daughter needed me. I changed our names, dropped out of society, determined to live as quietly as possible so the DEO could never find us again. That's when I started to notice the changes in Edith."

"Changes?" Maggie asked. He nodded.

"She was my youngest. I know children developed at different rates, but she always seemed to develop normally until that night. Then she stopped. She would always sleep, burrowed in so many blankets I could barely see her. It didn't take long to realize everything around her was causing her pain. I did everything I could to help her, I created a new environment that was as protected as possible." He looked at her. "She grew up inside her bubble because that's the only place she could live. But that's not enough for me. I want her to thrive, not just live. I started researching cures, but without knowing exactly what was done to her it was all hypothetical. Then the DEO became public knowledge. I tried asking for help, but they refused. I knew I'd need to force their hand."

"There's just one problem with your theory," Maggie said, her heart going out to him despite what he'd done. "The DEO didn't do this."

"What?" Storm asked, surprise lacing his features. The door opened and J'onn stepped in.

"The DEO of today and the DEO fifteen years ago are far different," he told them quietly. "We don't know what happened to your daughter because we didn't attack you fifteen years ago."

"Oh my God," he got out, holding his head in his hands. "I never suspected you didn't know. I assumed you refused because you didn't want the public to know what you did. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind."

"Perhaps you should have thought this through a bit more," J'onn growled as he motioned for the guards to take him away. Once he was gone Maggie collapsed on her chair.

"It's hopeless," she cried, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. J'onn reached out and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Not necessarily," he told her gently. She looked up in surprise. "The DEO ten years ago was much more aligned with Cadmus's ideology."

"You think Cadmus might know?" Maggie asked.

"I think it might be Alex's only shot," he said gravely.

* * *

Lena looked up when her curtains started billowing unexpectedly. She immediately abandoned her work and went to the couch, pulling a distraught Kara into her arms. "How is she?" she asked, sitting down and pulling the other woman with her. Kara started to sob.

"I don't know how much longer she can go on," Kara admitted. "We had to put her in the bath again. She didn't even fight me." Kara cried loudly with Lena just holding her and rubbing her back.

"She's just tired," Lena tried to console the other woman, even though she knew that wasn't the case. "Give her another nap and she'll be back to punching you in the face."

"I hope so," Kara admitted. Alex was getting so bad she wasn't fighting anyone anymore. She just laid there. Kara had never been so scared in her entire life. Lena rocked the Kryptonian until the young woman calmed down. She gave Kara a few minutes to compose herself before pulling away.

"Feel better?" she asked, genuinely concerned. Kara nodded and leaned back.

"Did you find anything?" Lena sighed deeply but shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I've been going over the research J'onn gave me, but unfortunately genetic engineering was never my forte. I offered to turn the problem over to my lab and see what my experts can do with it, but…"

"J'onn said no," Kara finished. Lena nodded sadly. Kara didn't blame him. J'onn was still a very secretive person. There was no way he was letting this information out into the world, especially not to someone he didn't trust one hundred percent. And he didn't trust any Luthors. Kara was just glad he agreed to let Lena take a look, and she knew her vouching for the woman was the only reason why. "Thank you for trying," she said defeatedly. Lena grabbed her hand.

"There's more," she said quietly. "I talked to my mother." Kara perked up, looking at her hopefully. While Lillian had managed to stay out of jail, she was essentially under house arrest. She was also not accepting any visitors. Both Kara and J'onn had tried to talk to her once they realized Cadmus was involved.

"What did she say?" Kara asked, hopeful once again. Lena sighed. She didn't want to be the one to break Kara's hope.

"She lied, of course," Lena told her, "but I've gotten rather skilled at wading through her lies. She claims she doesn't remember any such incident."

"But she lied?" Kara asked. Lena nodded.

"She got very uncomfortable, which told me she knew exactly what I was talking about. When I told her a child had survived and had been changed, she was genuinely shocked. But when I asked her if she had any knowledge or theories that could help the child, she said no and shut down."

"Was she lying?" Kara asked quietly. Lena frowned.

"Not completely," she told her friend. "I think she knows exactly what happened, but I don't think she knew anyone survived and therefore never bothered trying to undo the changes she inflicted." Lena sighed. "Mother has always painted herself as a self-appointed hero. She justified the horrible things she did as casualties of a war that was coming. But there are no justifications for letting a child die. There are some lines even my mother won't cross."

"You truly believe she can't help us?" Kara asked. Lena nodded.

"I believe if she could, she would have told me," Lena admitted, "or saved the child herself. Nothing portrays the hero she is making herself out to be like saving an innocent child."

"Forgive me for not believing her so quickly," Kara said, with just a hint of venom in her voice.

"Of course," Lena graciously accepted. She pointed to the files on her desk. "I'll keep looking and let you know if I find anything."

"Thank you," Kara said gratefully. They just sat together for a few minutes until the silence was broken by a chirping. Kara reluctantly pulled out her phone, frowning at the message. "I have to go. There's been a development at the DEO." Lena nodded and reached out to give her one more hug before Kara flew out the window. Within minutes she was at the DEO. She was met by Eliza, who had a devastated look on her face. "No," Kara started to cry.

"No honey," Eliza said immediately, pulling her youngest in tightly. Kara calmed down, looking deeply into her mother's eyes. "Alex is still hanging in there."

"Then what?" she asked, frowning at the looks she was receiving from everyone around her. Looks of pity. Eliza took a deep breath.

"Jeremiah," she said sadly. Kara straightened up.

"Did they find him? Is he hurt? Is he dead?" Eliza shook her head.

"He turned himself in," she said sadly.

"What?" Kara asked, shocked. "Why would he do that?"

"To help your sister," J'onn said, heading toward them. "He brought every file he could with him about Cadmus's early experimentation with genetic alterations. Files Cadmus never wanted to see the light of day."

"Will it help?" Kara asked, torn between hope and sadness. J'onn shrugged.

"Dr. Hamilton and her team are going over everything now," he told her before looking at Eliza. "She could really use your help." Eliza looked at Kara.

"Go," she urged her. "Alex needs you more than I do right now."

"I'll watch her," J'onn said, looking at Kara. Eliza gave them one last look before rushing off.

"I want to see him," Kara demanded, heading over to the holding cells. J'onn fell into step behind her.

"That will be up to Director Lane," he said as they approached the holding area. Lucy and several guards were waiting for them. Kara stopped just short of them.

"Why Lucy?" she asked, loud enough for them to hear.

"Because the last time he was here I made a mistake," J'onn admitted. "A mistake that nearly cost a lot of innocent people, including your sister, their lives." Kara closed her eyes, letting the memory rush over her.

"It's better for everyone," Lucy said quietly, taking the few steps to join them, "if someone less involved, less personally connected to Dr. Danvers, is responsible for him. I promise I will look at everything with an open mind." Kara nodded.

"Can I see him?" she begged. Lucy nodded.

"Of course," she said, motioning for the guards to let them through. "He's been asking for you." They followed the guards until they got to his cell. As soon as she saw him sitting there her world crumbled.

"Shhh," he whispered, holding her tightly against him, rocking her gently. "It's okay. It will all be okay." She reveled in his comforting embrace, even though she hadn't felt it in over a decade. Jeremiah's arms would always remind her of safety. Once she was calmer she stood up, surprised to find herself in the cell. She didn't even remember going in. She looked back, only to find the door barely hanging one by a hinge. The guards had their weapons pulled, Lucy was telling them to stand down, and J'onn was watching the reunion with a small smile on his face.

"Oops," she said, wiping the last of her tears away and helping her foster father to his feet. He smiled.

"I thought you were working on control," he teased. She smiled gratefully.

"So you said you wanted to talk," Lucy reminded him. He looked at her.

"Can we go somewhere a little more secure," he asked, motioning to his ruined cell. "Your agents are getting a little angsty and I would hate for anyone to get hurt."

"Of course," she said, gesturing for him to follow her. She turned to Kara. "I trust you won't destroy the interrogation room?"

"I'm sorry," she said, falling into step with them. "I didn't even realize I did that."

"You should have seen her room after her first panic attack," Jeremiah joked as he calmly let them handcuff him to the table. Kara rolled her eyes and sat down in the chair across from him. Lucy took the second chair, leaving J'onn leaning against the wall.

"I had just gotten here and had a nightmare about everyone I know dying," Kara defended herself. "I needed some air and the window stuck."

"So she decided to just punch out the wall," Jeremiah continued, a smile on his face as he talked to her. "I remember your mother and I waking up to what sounded like an explosion in your room. We ran to your room, but you wouldn't let us in. I tried to force my way in, but you were holding the door shut. You were completely distraught, and we couldn't reach you, then Alex…"

"Alex somehow climbed the outside of the house to my second story room," Kara finished for him. They both had tears in their eyes. "She was able to calm me down. I fell asleep in her arms and woke up the next morning in her bed."

"She never did tell me how she was able to make that climb," Jeremiah confided.

"She found a way," Kara said, sniffling again. "For me she always finds a way."

"Now you have to find a way to be strong for her," Jeremiah said, reaching out a hand which Kara took. "Because she's going to need you now, more than you know."

"Do you know what he did to her?" Lucy asked. Jeremiah shook his head.

"Just what I've been told," he released Kara and looked to Lucy. "I do know what happened to Edith though."

"Did you have anything to do with it?" J'onn asked darkly. Jeremiah shook his head.

"I didn't have any part with it," he told them. "It happened while I was still recovering, after they took me when I saved you."

"Why did they take you?" Kara asked curiously. "I don't believe you would have ever appealed to their ideology."

"I didn't," he told her, "and I still don't. They weren't looking for me. They were looking for Henshaw. When he didn't report on time they knew something was wrong. When they found me, they were just going to let me die, but Lillian had other ideas."

"Lillian Luthor," Lucy said. He nodded.

"She had just joined the DEO," he explained.

"Cadmus," Kara corrected, but Jeremiah shook his head.

"At that time, they were one in the same," he explained. "Cadmus was just their science division, figuring out alien's weaknesses and how best to exploit them. Recovering Henshaw was of great importance to her. He was her muscle, but he was also their public figurehead, and, more importantly, a scapegoat if anything went wrong. When they rescued him, they brought me along just in case I might be useful, but his injuries were much greater than mine. Before he could fully recover…"

"I took his place," J'onn said. Jeremiah nodded.

"Lillian knew you weren't him," he told them. "She knew we were hunting a dangerous alien, and that alien apparently took Henshaw's place in the anti-alien task force. She didn't know what abilities you had, or even whether you were by yourself or leading an army, but she knew the DEO had been infiltrated. That's when she started, slowly, severing ties with the DEO and creating Cadmus."

"What is her problem with aliens anyway?" Kara huffed. Jeremiah smiled indulgently at her.

"Her problem has never been with the aliens," he told them, "it's been with what they can do. The abilities they have that humans can only dream of. When the DEO was compromised, she realized she needed an army with powers of their own. She started her first attempt to give humans super powers."

"Through genetic manipulation," J'onn said darkly. He nodded.

"She asked for my help, but I refused. I was still recovering at the time, and she didn't want to push me to hard that early, so instead I just watched. I personally didn't think she stood any chance, but she managed to somehow get a hold of alien DNA. It was amazing how similar it is to human DNA. It took her months to break down the structures, isolate which strands gave super strength, which gave flying, which gave psychic powers. More months to figure out how to insert these strands into human DNA. There were several times I hoped she would hit the dead end, but eventually she succeeded. Then it came time for the human trials."

"She kidnaped people to experiment on?" Lucy asked. Jeremiah shook his head.

"Not then, she wasn't that far gone yet," he explained. "She used her family name to offer alternatives to criminals who had life sentences. She would offer them limited freedom at one of her many bases in exchange for a small experiment. If it worked, they would gain superpowers and their freedom. If it didn't work, she would give generously to their grieving families. Many convicts jumped at the chance. She had no shortage of volunteers. Each experiment got her closer and closer. I was worried she'd actually do it, then the incident happened."

"With Dr. Storm?" Lucy asked. Jeremiah shook his head.

"Not at first. She recruited a convict named Isaac Planchard. She was getting so close, she thought he would be the first. But days before she was going to inject him, he had a heart attack and died. She was frustrated. The serum had to be engineered specifically to the individual's DNA. Months down the drain and the serum she thought was finally the one was worthless. Until she found out he had a twin."

"Nicholas," Kara whispered. He nodded.

"I don't know how long she debated with herself," he admitted. "I don't know if she was going to force him to take it or simply give him the same offer she gave his brother. All I know is she eventually sent Henshaw to recruit him. When he turned him down, something inside Henshaw snapped. He didn't consult with Lillian, he just went back, determined to bring Nicholas back at all costs. When he wasn't there, Henshaw injected his wife and children.

"Henshaw didn't understand the science of the serum. He didn't know the serum was designed for a specific individual. Or, at least, if he knew he didn't care. He didn't care that he killed that woman and her children in the most vicious manner I've ever heard. The only thing he cared about was that he brought in his target. When Lillian found out, she was devastated. She abandoned the trials and buried the information so deeply nobody would ever know it existed. The only reason I know about it was because I was there."

"How did you get a hold of the files?" Lucy asked.

"I told her I would destroy them," he said. "I hoped she would stop after that incident, and for a short time she did, but I knew if she did continue one day she would succeed and I needed some ammunition to use against her to protect my family. When she started again, she forced me to help her. She threatened my family unless I agreed. The rest is history." He looked at Lucy. "I know you don't trust me. I betrayed their trust before and know I will never be looked at the same again. But everything I have ever done has been to protect my family. I will sit in this little room happily for the rest of my life if there is even the smallest chance those files can help my daughter. I know you don't trust me, but please, trust my intentions." Lucy stared at him intently before nodding. She motioned for the guards to return him to his cell before turning to J'onn and Kara.

"I know he hurt you," she started before focusing on J'onn, "but I need your professional opinion. Do you think he's being sincere?"

"I do," J'onn nodded. "He's always put his family first, that's one of the things that drew me to him in that jungle all those years ago. I know he would do anything, even turn himself in, if it meant helping one of them."

"I agree," Kara added. "That man is the Jeremiah Danvers I know. The father who took in an orphan when her planet was destroyed."

"Do you believe his story?" Lucy asked. J'onn nodded.

"It certainly fits," he said, "plus I assume you've already had the documents he brought authenticated." Lucy nodded.

"That's why Dr. Danvers is already going over them," she told them. "I want to believe his story, I really do, but I can't trust him blindly. I'm not going to transfer him to another facility, though, and I'm going to allow you to visit him, but if I get a single hint that something's not right or that you're planning on breaking him out, he will be gone before you can blink." Kara nodded. She could live with those restrictions. "Now, go check on your sister."

* * *

Kara was barely holding it together as she lowered her sister into the icy water for the second time that day. Alex was completely still, not struggling at all. The stillness worried her more than the fighting. A fighting Alex was good. A still Alex was bad.

"I've got it," Eliza said, rushing into the room. Dr. Hamilton quickly passed off monitoring Alex to one of her nurses and took the paper Eliza held out to her.

"It's not a cure," she said, frowning slightly.

"No," Eliza agreed, "but it's a start."

"What?" Kara asked.

"The genetic splice Lillian Luthor devised, and the one Dr. Storm created are virtually identical. We could use the same procedure. I don't know what happened exactly, maybe some of the serum was vaporized and exhaled by some of the family before they died. But somehow, the parts of the serum got into the body of the sleeping child."

"She would have half the genetic code the serum was designed to target," Dr. Hamilton said, studying the research. "And children are very resilient. That combination could explain how she survived." Hamilton put down the folder. "But this doesn't help us find a cure for Agent Danvers."

"Not for Alex," Eliza agreed, "but for Edith." Hamilton looked up at her. "I know you are doing everything you can to help her, but it's not enough. She only has a day, maybe two. There's a man down in holding who can help her, but only if we help him first."

"But," Maggie piped up from the far side of the bed, "if it's only a matter of removing the damaged DNA, couldn't he have done that himself?" Eliza shook her head.

"The serum didn't insert new sequences into her DNA like it was designed for. It mutated it. You can't just remove it because it is a part of her. What we need to do is insert additional sequences to fix whatever the serum damaged."

"But again, wouldn't he have already tried that?" Lucy asked. She and J'onn had entered when Eliza ran in. She shook her head.

"He might have tried and failed, because he was missing one very key component. Alien DNA. Something he never had and something Lillian never would have thought to try. And, hopefully, a couple of aliens willing to donate may save both their lives." Kara looked up.

"I'll help in whatever way I can," she promised. Eliza turned to J'onn.

"Please J'onn. It's a start. It's a proposal. It's a chance." J'onn looked to Lucy, who nodded.

"He'll only talk to Maggie now," he said solemnly. Maggie bolted from her chair and ran to his holding cell. She blurted out the proposal even before she caught her breath.

"It sounds promising," he said after he listened to her. "Can I see the research?"

"I don't know," Maggie told him, "that's not up to me. But right now, we're at a point where we have to build a little trust. Like I said, I'm not a scientist. I listened to the proposal and the only things that made sense to me was a possibility of a cure. I don't know if it will work or not, but we're trying. And we're going to keep trying until Alex dies. So now it's up to you. You can either help us save Alex and build up some trust, so we will work on this together, or you can let her die and know our research will die with her." Dr. Storm studied her.

"Give me some paper," he said suddenly. Maggie looked to one of the guards, who already had some paper and a pen in his hand. He passed it through to Storm, who quickly wrote down a complex equation before handing both back. "It's the formula of the compound that will deactivate that particular trap."

"Go," Maggie said. The guard nodded and ran out of the room. Maggie turned back to Storm. "Thank you."

"You should know, Detective, that this is just getting started. I placed several trojan horses throughout her genetic code. In time the next one will hit."

"Why?" Maggie asked, weakly leaning against the glass. He looked at her compassionately.

"Because even though you have a proposal, it will still take time to iron out the details. Then there is the treatment time itself. I planned this to give myself plenty of time and give the DEO plenty of incentive. This first demonstration was mild compared to what can and will happen. And not all of her episodes will be easily overcome. Some may even be permanent."

"Why are you doing this?" Maggie asked again.

"Because I prepared for the long game," he told her gently. "If you are able to cure my daughter, give her the life I desperately want for her, I will neutralize all of Alex's traps. Consider it incentive to continue your good work." With that he sat back down. Maggie pulled herself up, even though exhaustion was coursing through her veins. She slowly made her way back to Alex's room.

Alex had been removed from the bath, but Kara was still holding her limp body tightly. She had been dried off and put back into bed, but Maggie noticed the lack of medical personnel. "They're all working on that formula," Kara told her. Maggie nodded and took her place at Alex's side. She picked up her hand and squeezed. She would give anything to feel a squeeze back, but her hand just lay limp and hot beneath her. An hour later Dr. Hamilton and Eliza rushed back in, followed by J'onn and Lucy.

"We have it," she said cautiously, "but we haven't had any time to test it. I have no idea what will happen if we administer this to her."

"Understood," J'onn said, glancing at Eliza. She nodded her head. "Proceed." Dr. Hamilton nodded and administered the serum into Alex's IV. Everyone stared, waiting for any change, good or bad, but nothing happened.

"Nothing," Maggie cried.

"Wait," Kara said. "Her temperature."

"It hasn't gone down," Maggie pointed out.

"But it hasn't gone up either," Kara countered. Everyone stared at the reading. It was still ridiculously high, but it was holding steady.

"We need more," Eliza said. Hamilton nodded.

"My team is making more as we speak," she said. Two hours later as a nurse entered carrying an IV full of the serum. Hamilton took it and hung it, replacing the old IV with the new serum. Everyone watched as the medicine entered her veins. They all held their breath until her temperature finally started dropping. "Check her vitals every fifteen minutes," Hamilton ordered her staff. "I want to know immediately if her temperature rises even a fraction of a degree. And I want a stockpile of this serum." The medical staff nodded, making notes on her chart before rushing to their assignments. She turned back to the room. "We are all exhausted. I suggest we take this time to get some much-needed sleep."

"Not on your life," Kara said evenly. Maggie was shaking her head, about ready to get her handcuffs out and cuff herself to the bed so they couldn't move her. Hamilton nodded, expecting this reaction from those two.

"Everybody who is still sane get to bed," she commanded, watching as the room emptied before turning to the two ladies. "If I can't convince you to leave, at least get some rest here," she said, pushing the comfortable chairs back into place by the bed. They were there at the start but somehow got lost in the shuffle.

"Thank you," Kara said, tears falling down her cheeks. "For everything." She smiled at them.

"Get some rest. If you need me, I'll be in my office." They smiled and went back to their vigil. They were also the first ones Alex saw when she finally opened her eyes.


	16. Chapter 16

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"You're assigning me to the Bunker?" Alex demanded, storming into J'onn's office without knocking, clutching the orders tightly in her hand. J'onn didn't glance up, instead he finished the report he was reading, leaving Alex standing in a fit of rage. He read slowly, giving her time to cool off. Finally, he finished the report, slid the file closed, and steepled his fingers as he turned to watch her.

"I wasn't aware my assignments were up for debate," he told her calmly. She took a deep breath, trying to get her anger under control.

"With all due respect, Sir," she started, "I am a field agent."

"Not right now you aren't," he said quietly. "You're a liability in the field. I can't risk another agent's life by sending in someone who is compromised." Alex huffed, slamming the papers on his desk hard enough to shake the floor. "And if you were thinking straight right now you'd agree."

"Then give me lab work," she begged. He raised his eyebrows.

"I believe we already tried that," he reminded her. "You were running off to a crime scene with Detective Sawyer after only one day." She blushed, remembering that day fondly.

"But why the Bunker?" she asked, the fight draining out of her. "To me it seems like your putting me out to pasture. Somewhere safe where I can't get hurt."

"Things are hardly uneventful in the Bunker," J'onn reminded her.

"When we were bringing in Fort Rozz escapees every other day," she countered. "But after Non died they all went back to hiding in the shadows. That's why we all came back here, where the action is. The most excitement the Bunker gets is a fire alarm."

"Those can be pretty intense," he said calmly, but it just made her mad again. She decided to try a different track.

"I thought you said I wasn't allowed near the Bunker?" she challenged.

"I believe I said you were not allowed to go to the Bunker to see your father without an escort," he corrected her, "in case you were planning on breaking him out of containment. Rest assured those orders are still in effect. You will not have any unescorted access to him. But, if you think the temptation is to great, I can always have him relocated."

"No!" Alex shouted. Though she hadn't actually built up the courage she needed to see her father, there was a peace that she felt knowing where he was. Knowing he was safe. "Just, please tell me, why the Bunker?"

"That's partially my doing." Alex turned behind her at the voice. She didn't even know Lucy was still here, let alone she was sharing J'onn's office. "Can I explain, or do you need to go to the firing range for a few hours to calm down?" Alex sighed heavily, leaning against J'onn's desk while she put her head in her hands, willing the headache to go away. He knew better, though. He gently pushed her into a chair and put two pills in her hand followed by a bottle of water. She took the medicine gratefully, knowing from experience it would only get worse, and closed her eyes to wait for it to take effect.

It had been a month since she woke up in the DEO med bay, her mind hazy and disjointed while her body barely obeyed her commands. She could tell everyone was worried about her, she could tell how close to death she came. Kara later told her that the first few days she was completely unresponsive. Dr. Hamilton was afraid of brain damage, but then suddenly she woke up and was fine.

Not completely fine. She had never felt so scared and so helpless as she did then. Because now they knew that whatever Storm had done to her had worked. Everyone knew she could literally be fine one minute and collapse the next. And everyone knew there wasn't a damn thing they could do to stop it.

Maggie helped her when she was finally released and went home. She would hold her and let her cry, being her rock when it felt like the world was against her. Kara would help, stopping by throughout the day to check on her, dragging her out of the apartment for some sister time and even spending the night whenever Maggie was called in. Even her mother helped her, by letting her know exactly what was happening, what they were trying and how well it worked. Alex was a scientist and she needed information. But nothing could help when she finally returned to work.

She spent hours in her lab, working studiously and trying to ignore the stares everyone was shooting her. She knew they were concerned, felt that same concern whenever any one of them was injured, but right now it was just a reminder of what she was facing. The helplessness. The uncertainty. As soon as no one was looking she fled to the gym.

The punching bag was her new best friend. She poured all her anger, pain, and fear into her fists. She didn't even realize how long or how hard she was going at it that first day until she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She reacted instinctively, spinning around and throwing a punch as hard as she could. She didn't realize it was her sister until after the punch connected.

"Oh God," she remarked, frozen on the spot. She thought Kara would be angry, maybe even hit her back, but she only stood there, concerned eyes never leaving Alex's. Alex raised a shaking hand to Kara's cheek, wondering about the blood that graced her skin. "Did you blow out your powers?" she choked out. Kara shook her head, reaching up to cover her sister's hand with her own.

"No Alex. It's not mine. That's your blood." Alex stood there confused until Kara gently lowered her hand. Her knuckles were red, blood dripping down and forming a puddle on the floor. She looked to the bag and saw a red stain where she had been punching. That was all Alex needed to break down. Kara held her as she cried, then when she was done she walked her up to the med bay.

Dr. Hamilton didn't say anything as she cleaned her knuckles, but when J'onn entered the room he was visibly upset.

"What exactly happened?" he demanded, shooting both of them angry glances. Kara just shrugged and looked at Alex carefully.

"I'm not sure," she admitted after a few minutes. "I was just trying to release some steam. I didn't even realize," she started, only to end in a frown.

"You were punching that bag for over four hours Agent Danvers," J'onn told her. "Several agents tried to get you to stop, but to no avail. We eventually called your sister, and you punched her."

"I'm sorry," she said, looking at Kara. "I didn't realize. I was just in the zone and suddenly someone was there, and I reacted."

"It's okay," Kara reassured her, suddenly smiling mischievously. "You've been punching me a lot lately. I'm just glad you've got some fight left in you." Alex blushed but J'onn wasn't amused.

"I'm adding mandatory therapy sessions," he said, glancing at Dr. Hamilton to see if she agreed. She nodded her approval. "Daily for the next week."

"For how long?" Alex shrieked. It was becoming more and more common to have mental health professionals stationed at every DEO office, but so far Alex had managed to avoid required sessions.

"Until Dr. Wales tells me otherwise," he said, scowling at her. He had come too close to losing her to watch her self-destruct now. "And you are not allowed anywhere near the gym, firing range, or combat areas without an escort. Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir," she immediately agreed. The fact that she didn't protest told J'onn more than anything about her state of mind. She had scared herself. He looked back to Hamilton before leaving the med bay.

"Nothing is broken," she said, as she lifted the ice pack to inspect the damage, "but you'll probably be sore for a few days. Luckily nothing needs stitches. Just don't get into any fights on the way home," she joked. Alex groaned.

"She won't," Kara reassured the doctor. Hamilton nodded before turning serious.

"We don't know what the next attack might be," she told her seriously. "We're still working around the clock, but until we know more we need your help. Promise me you'll come in the second anything doesn't feel right, even if it turns out to be a false alarm."

"I promise," Alex said, her scientific mind recognizing that she herself was the most accurate tool they had at identifying any problems right now. Hamilton nodded skeptically, shared a look with Kara, and finished dressing her knuckles. Dr. Hamilton was very surprised when two days later Alex came in, complaining of a headache. She ran every test she could think of but eventually concluded that headaches were just a byproduct of the situation. After her fourth day with a headache in a row, Alex had to agree. They were her new normal. Dr. Hamilton gave her a prescription for the pain, made a note on her chart, and told her to come in if anything ever changed. The prescription was a powerful narcotic, enough to knock Alex out completely the first time she took it. But now she was developing a resistance to the drug. Sometimes she was even able to function after she took it, albeit groggily.

She eventually settled into a routine. She never had a shortage of friends or colleagues who wanted to spend some time with her at the gym or on the range. In no time her strength and stamina returned. So much time spent in the gym helped her get even more into shape than she was. The same amount of time spent on the firing range and with various weapons meant she was deadlier than ever before. Except she still wasn't allowed out in the field. The most she could do was watch from the Command Center when something went down. She couldn't even help because if she made a mistake one of her friends could die, and that wasn't something she was willing to risk. Instead she pushed for field status with J'onn and he sentenced her to the Bunker.

"Alex?" She was pulled out of her musing by Lucy's gentle voice and a soft touch on her wrist. She may be developing a resistance to the drugs Hamilton prescribed her, but every so often she was still down for the count after taking them. "Should I call Kara?" The question was directed to someone else, but Alex shook her head.

"No," she said, forcing her eyes open. It wouldn't be the first time she was carried through the halls of the DEO by her sister. She would usually wake up in her apartment, in the middle of her bed, with Maggie or Kara, or sometimes both, watching her worriedly. "I'm fine," she forced out, blinking slowly. She slowly pulled herself out of the depths, watching as the world sharpened around her. She realized slowly that they had just continued to work while she was sitting there and wondered exactly how long she had been there. A quick glance into the Command Center showed the night shift. She should have been home hours ago. "Maggie," she whispered, knowing her fiancée would be pissed.

"I called her," J'onn said quietly. "I told her I would make sure you got home safely too. But first I think we need to talk, that is if you're up for it."

"About the Bunker?" Alex asked, the shot of adrenaline helping her focus. J'onn nodded.

"Do you know why the Bunker is there?" J'onn asked, knowing she knew. She nodded.

"It's a jail," she told him. He nodded.

"That's its primary focus," he agreed, "but it has a secondary purpose that it seems you've forgotten. Do you remember what it is?" Her mind was hazy and it took her a minute to remember. She had spent nearly two years there being trained. She had just been promoted to the National City office when her plane nearly blew up. When Kara came out as Supergirl. Then she returned to the Bunker to help train her sister, to give her the skills she would need to keep her safe.

"Training," she managed. He smiled at her. "But we haven't needed to train new agents for over two years."

"Since your sister joined the team," J'onn told her. "She's taken the hard hits, fought the big battles. Our casualty and fatality rate has gone down dramatically since she joined, except for this one agent who always tries to shield the indestructible Kryptonian with her own body. She keeps getting hurt." Alex rolled her eyes.

"Like you haven't shielded her," she said knowingly. He smiled then looked to Lucy.

"You have experienced agents here," she said proudly, "but unfortunately other locations do not have the same protection that Supergirl gives. National City is losing agents, not to death and injury, but to retirement or transfers."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Alex asked, struggling to see how she fitted into this.

"It's a great thing," Lucy said, "but that means we need to train more agents to take their place."

"That's Dontay's job," Alex said. "He's the trainer."

"And he's doing an amazing job," J'onn added, "but we have a little something different in mind this time around and I need my best agent to help me."

"President Marsden has always been in favor of alien participation in defense of our world," Lucy began. "Providing amnesty in National City was the first step. She wanted to offer aliens the chance at defending this planet, at joining groups such as the DEO. When she was here to sign the Amnesty Act, she discretely asked J'onn his feelings on the matter."

"I wasn't a fan," he admitted reluctantly. "I was still very distrustful of humans and aliens. My personal experiences had taught me to be wary around aliens. Hunting the worst aliens in the galaxy only solidified that. I was certain they would turn on us instead of help us."

"What changed?" Alex asked. He smiled weakly.

"You took me to a bar. I met M'gann. I was introduced to a world I never dreamed existed. I saw aliens, not trying to take over the world, but just trying to survive. When the Daxamites invaded, these same aliens fought them in defense of their home, alongside humans. Then M'gann brought a squadron of White Martians to help, White Martians who had no ties to this place, no reason to come other than we were in trouble and needed help. I realized then that aliens should be given a chance to defend this world, if they wanted to."

"President Marsden and I have been working on a proposal to allow aliens into the DEO," Lucy continued. "Ever since your sister joined, and J'onn revealed his true nature, the naysayers who claim aliens can't work with humans have been silenced. They're practically mute since the invasion when aliens joined humans to fend of the Daxamites. We both realize the time was right to try. And J'onn provided the voice of caution our proposal needed to silence the last cynics. This group of recruits with have aliens among them."

"I handpicked the candidates myself," J'onn told her, "and they have each submitted to the same scrutiny as any other candidate, even more so. They want the chance to be part of the DEO. To make a difference."

"So why don't you train them?" Alex asked. J'onn frowned.

"Everything has to be by the book on this one," he told her. "If I train them, and pass them, you and I will know it's because I believe they were ready. Someone in DC might think I let them skate because they were fellow aliens. When something goes wrong, and it will go wrong eventually, all this will be held under a microscope."

"So you want me to train and fail them?" Alex asked. J'onn shook his head.

"I want my best agent to train this group of recruits and decide for herself if they have what it takes to be DEO agents. Be as hard on them as I was on you, as you were on Kara, because you know that one day it will save their lives. I want you to treat them just like any other agent. You're the only one I trust with this assignment. Can you do this for me?" She sighed and thought about what he said, but ultimately she knew her answer without needing to think. He needed her to do this, so she would.

"Yes Sir," she said. He smiled at her.

"I know you won't let me down," he said, retreating to his desk. He handed her a stack of personnel files. "Your new recruits." She skimmed the files briefly before raising her eyes.

"Which ones are the aliens?" she asked.

"We can't tell you," Lucy said gently. "Not knowing will help convince people that you didn't treat them any differently than human agents."

"If you're half the agent I trained you'll be able to figure it out," J'onn told her proudly. "You have two weeks to prepare. You have free reign over their training regiment, though you will have to submit your final proposal to Dontay for approval." She nodded, tucking the folders under her arms. "Now let's get you home so that girl of yours can properly fuss over you."

"Yes Sir," she blushed, feeling her mind falling back into the drugged haze she hated so much. J'onn chuckled lightly before grabbing the folders and putting them on his desk. He then took her by the arm and guided her out. The next thing she knew she was waking up in her bed, Maggie smirking down at her.

* * *

"So where exactly is this Bunker?" Maggie asked as the gang gathered together at Kara's place for game night. Alex was putting the pizzas on the counter, while Kara was grabbing plates for everyone.

"In the middle of nowhere," Winn said as he prepared the whiteboard. Tonight was going to be an epic Pictionary showdown.

"It's in the desert," James added specifically, giving Winn a quick slap to the back of the head. "About forty miles outside the city."

"It takes forever to get there," Winn added, accepting the pizza James offered him.

"It takes me five minutes," Kara told everyone. Everyone groaned.

"It takes normal people about an hour," Alex said, snagging some pizza for her and Maggie. "It really is a pain to drive in and out every day. I'll probably just stay on base for a bit, especially when the recruits get there." Maggie frowned.

"I don't like it when we're apart," she said, helping herself to a beer. "I don't mind picking you up. Even time spent driving is time spent together."

"Aww," Winn cooed, but then furrowed his brow. He was obviously thinking about something. He pulled out a notebook and started making quick notes.

"It's okay, really," Alex reassured Maggie. "I don't like being away from you either, but the Bunker is designed for long term assignments. Most of the agents do two weeks on and two weeks off. There's living quarters assigned to them, a commissary, a full med bay.

"How come I never saw any of this?" Kara asked. Alex shrugged.

"You never really got past the first few levels."

"Will I?" Maggie asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"You get all the levels," Alex answered. She leaned in for a kiss, grabbing Maggie's beer when she pulled back.

"Alex," Maggie complained, before she saw what her fiancée was clutching. "No."

"Oh, c'mon Mags," Alex begged. "Just one. I've been good all week."

"No," Maggie insisted, grabbing the beer out of her hand. "You know alcohol doesn't mix with the pain pills Hamilton has you on."

"But I haven't had any lately," Alex begged. Maggie shook her head.

"Then why did J'onn carry you to our apartment last night?" Maggie asked.

"Ummm," Alex started, trying to think up a good excuse. Finally she deflated. "Fine. I had a couple yesterday. But I haven't had any today. Please?" She started pouting.

"Fine," Maggie gave in, causing Alex to smirk triumphantly. "But just one."

"Promise," Alex said, nearly running to the fridge to get a beer for herself. She returned just as Winn finished setting everything up.

"Are we ready?" he asked. Kara shook her head and looked to the door. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text. She smiled when she got a reply instantly.

"Not yet," she said, standing up and facing everybody. "I kinda invited Lena to join us."

"Lena?" James asked, just as there was a knock at the door. Kara squealed and ran over, throwing it open and pulling the other woman inside.

"Hello everybody," Lena greeted, putting her purse down and hanging up her coat.

"You invited Lena Luthor," Alex double checked. Kara smiled uncomfortably.

"I've technically invited her several times," she told them, "but this is the first time she's been able to make it."

"If this makes you uncomfortable I can go," Lena offered graciously. Being a Luthor made her extremely unpopular in most circles. Most people pretended they were fine with her because of her money, but she really wanted to fit in with Kara's friends.

"Just to clarify," Winn started, moving closer to her. "You, Lena Luthor, are going to join us for a game of Pictionary, and here's the part I want to be absolutely certain about. When you get beaten by team Guardian, is that going to trigger your Luthor 'I hate the world and everything in it' genes?"

"Winn!" Kara gasped, but Lena actually laughed.

"If, by some miracle, I do get beaten at this child's game, I promise I will not hold you or the world responsible." Winn grinned.

"Good enough for me," he said, giving James a high five as he made his way back to the board. "Okay. Me and James, Kara and Lena, and Maggie and Alex. The lines are drawn. The stage is set. The epic showdown starts… Now!" Alex and Maggie were the first ones up and Alex started frantically drawing while Maggie guessed everything she could. Winn was keeping a close eye on the timer as Kara pulled Lena to the side.

"Thank you for coming," she said quietly, trying not to distract the rest of the group.

"Thank you for inviting me," Lena said. "I honestly can't remember the last time I've had so much fun. And that's just been in the first minute." Kara grinned.

"We have pizza and beer, or I can go get something else if you want."

"Pizza and beer sound great," Lena said, helping herself to some dinner. She and Kara soon joined the group around the coffee table.

"Three, two, one, time!" Winn shouted. He and James took their places, ready to take their turn. Then Kara and Lena. Everyone was having a blast. About halfway through the night Maggie, who was still on call tonight, got called away to a crime scene. Alex decided to forfeit their position and instead became the official scorekeeper.

"As we enter the final round the score is tied," Alex attempted to commentate as Kara set up for the final round. "Which team will emerge victorious? Everybody in this room wants to know." James laughed as Alex started the timer. After a heated round, James and Winn won by a point.

"Remember," James said, pointing a finger at Lena, "no end of the world high-jinx tomorrow morning."

"I'll try to keep that in mind," Lena laughed as they started to clean up. Kara turned on the TV for some background noise but stopped at the breaking news story. A hostage situation in a hospital.

"I should go," Kara said immediately.

"Kara," Alex warned just before Kara flew out the window. "You promised you would try. Maggie promised she would call if she needed you."

"Right," Kara said, clearly torn. "I should still go, you know, as a reporter. This is a big story. And I'll be nearby in case Supergirl is needed."

"Wait for Maggie's signal," Alex reminded her.

"I should go too," James said, moving to follow Kara, "as a photojournalist for this big story."

"And I should go to," Winn said awkwardly, "because I'm the man in the van?" Alex rolled her eyes but motioned for them all to go. They turned and left, but Kara stopped just short of the doorway.

"Alex?" she asked cautiously. Alex smiled at her.

"Go. I'll just clean up and crash here."

"Promise me you won't go anywhere," Kara insisted, "and you'll lock the door after we leave, and you won't let anybody in, and you'll call if you need anything."

"Yes mom," Alex responded sarcastically. Kara nodded and ran to catch up with the other two. Alex turned and started cleaning up when she realized Lena was still there. "You can go if you want," she offered. "I can handle clean up."

"I can help," she responded. Alex nodded and between the two of them they had the place back in order in a few minutes. "So, James Olsen is Guardian." Alex winced.

"You caught that, did you?" Alex asked. Lena nodded.

"Ever since Kara told me her secret, I've been finding myself paying closer attention to the little details happening around me. Details most people overlook." They settled into an uncomfortable silence.

"I want to say thank you," Alex spoke first. She looked into Lena's eyes. "I heard you offered the vast resources of L-Corp to help Edith. To help both of us."

"It's the least I can do, considering my mother's actions hurt the child in the first place," Lena told her honestly. "L-Corp is about more than making money. It's about righting the wrongs my family has done. I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't do this."

"Well I appreciate it," she said, "and I know Kara does too."

"You and your sister are very close," Lena observed. Alex sighed.

"I guess it's time for the talk," Alex said. Lena looked on curiously. "The 'if you hurt my sister I'm going to kill you' talk," Alex elaborated.

"I'm not interested in Kara that way," Lena reassured her. Alex nodded.

"I never said you were. But Kara is so unique I have this talk with all her friends." She walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. "Beer?" she asked.

"Sure," Lena answered, sinking onto the couch. "I get the feeling I'm going to need it." Alex smiled, pulling out a beer before joining the other woman on the couch. She passed the beer over before uncapping her water and taking a swig. "So, the talk." Alex nodded.

"First things first, this isn't because I don't like you," Alex stared hard at Lena until she nodded. "It's because I don't know you. Kara's always been special. Knowing her secret means you know exactly how special. She has gone through a lot, at a very young age. She lost her family, her friends, her entire world, and, through circumstances she had no control over, she wasn't even able to fulfill her mother's dying wish. All that messes with someone, especially to someone as young as Kara was."

"I can imagine," Lena told her sympathetically. Alex nodded.

"That left Kara with an intense fear of abandonment. When she first arrived at our house, we could see these issue, but we didn't truly know how deep it went. In the midst of trying to come to terms with everything that happened to her, she was thrust into middle school. One of the most confusing and overwhelming places in today's society. I remember my parents asking her over and over again if she really wanted this, if she was ready, and she kept saying yes. That was the first time we got an inkling of another issue, her need to please others."

"So she wouldn't be abandoned," Lena said. Alex nodded.

"Those first few weeks were hard. Kids are mean, and she was different. She was teased and bullied as soon as she stepped foot on campus. She also was coming into her powers. Strength and speed she could somewhat control, but super hearing and vision was unpredictable back then. She would be fine one minute then crouching down behind the dumpster covering her ears the next. I knew what was happening, but to everyone else at school she was just acting weird."

"Which led to even more bullying," Lena said. Alex nodded.

"I asked her, but she always denied it. She was afraid we would send her away if she was the cause of too much trouble. But one day I witnessed the bullying and I stopped it." Alex grinned. "That was the first time I got suspended for fighting." Lena rolled her eyes. "After that it was better. The kids learned not to mess with Kara or they'd have to answer to me. Kara was gaining more and more control over her powers, so her freak outs weren't nearly as bad as they were. She was learning how to act human. Things were getting better. Then I graduated and moved away to college.

"That was tough for Kara. She never really made any friends growing up. She relied on me and suddenly I wasn't there all the time. My mom and I both encouraged her to make her own friends, and she tried, but she was so concerned about pleasing them that she sometimes allowed herself to be put in positions where she was used. Nothing really bad, but she couldn't say no. When I came home for summer break and found out I was furious."

"Suspended?" Lena asked. Alex smirked mischievously.

"I think that was actually a night in jail," she told her, laughing slightly. "Kara eventually learned to be very cautious with friends, but she still has that need to please. Now she'll feel that need with you. And if you take advantage of her in anyway,"

"You'll hurt me," Lena finished.

"Kill," Alex corrected. "I'll kill you."

"I understand," Lena said, before cocking her head to the side questioningly. "Did she ever let herself be used by you?"

"Are you kidding?" Alex laughed. "When she first arrived, I had her convinced that doing the dishes after a meal was the ultimate way of honoring whoever prepared the meal. I didn't have to do dishes for three weeks." Lena laughed.

"Three weeks?" Lena asked. Alex nodded.

"Of course, then I felt guilty and told her the truth. She said she knew but she didn't mind doing the dishes. So, we ended up doing them together." Lena smiled at the story. "She's gotten better over the years, but you really don't overcome things like this. And, before you think I'm warning you just because you're a Luthor, you should know I had a similar conversation with Winn when they started getting close, and again with James."

"You really are the best big sister she could have gotten," Lena smiled at her. Alex sighed.

"Kara is trying to be nicer to Maggie, trying to get along with her, for my sake. It's only fair that I do the same, with you, for hers. I'll try to be nicer to you, try to give you the benefit of the doubt because you are important to Kara. But I know how the world works. I won't judge you because of you name, but I will judge you based on your actions. Harshly if necessary."

"Thank you for your honesty," Lena said. "I'm glad you're still with us Agent Danvers, because Kara needs someone like you in her life, someone who will protect her at all costs. If I'm ever a threat to her, I want you to take me out. Promise me."

"I promise," Alex said seriously. Lena nodded.

"Thank you for a lovely evening," she told her as she gathered her things. "It is obvious you mean a great deal to Kara. She means a great deal to me as well. I would like to get to know you better, Alex."

"I wouldn't object," Alex told her, opening the door for her. "Goodnight Ms. Luthor."

"Goodnight Agent Danvers."


	17. Chapter 17

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"And, last but not least, chez Danvers," Alex said, opening the door to her quarters and leading Maggie inside. Maggie stepped in, looking around the room with interest.

"It's bigger than I thought it would be," she commented, noticing the larger bed and desk in the corner. The open rooms they passed that she glanced in didn't have those.

"It's designed for a double occupancy," she explained, putting her duffel bag in the closet quickly. "Once you take out the second bed and dresser, the space becomes much larger. And the best perk." She opened a door to show off her private bathroom.

"Impressive," Maggie smirked, causing Alex to blush.

"I know it's not much," Alex said, shutting the door and moving over to Maggie, pulling her fiancée into her arms. "But very few agents get their own room. The fact that I'm one of them is pretty awesome."

"It is," Maggie said, leaning in for a kiss. "And I'm proud of you." She kissed Alex again. "Never doubt that."

"I never will," Alex said, grinning happily. She leaned in again, attacking Maggie's lips in what was quickly becoming a makeout session. She suddenly pulled away. "Do you think we have enough time to try out the bed?"

"We can make time," she said, pulling her girlfriend over. Maggie pulled Alex onto the bed, frantically tugging at her clothes, when a phone rang. They both stopped, breathing deeply as they tried to get control back. "It's me," Maggie said, reaching for the offending object. "Sawyer," she answered. Alex took the opportunity to latch on to her girlfriend's neck, peppering light kisses up and down her throat. "I'll be there in two hours."

"Two hours?" Alex asked when Maggie put her phone down. "We still have time."

"You promised me dinner too," Maggie said as she pulled Alex's shirt off. "And it's an hour to drive back to the city." Alex smirked.

"Well, if you don't want it," she teased, pulling away slightly. Maggie responded by locking her arms around the agent and not letting go.

"Eating's overrated," she said as they fell into each other. Forty-five minutes later Alex was leading her to the commissary.

"Danvers!" A voice rang out. Maggie turned to find a huge black man advancing on their position. Alex just groaned. The man was very intimidating, except the smile that seemed to be firmly etched on his face. "Did your fiery temper finally get you into trouble?" he asked, joining them. "And who is this fine specimen? I would guard you night and day." Maggie blushed.

"Dontay," Alex groaned, but she was blushing at the same time. She turned back to her fiancée. "Maggie, this is Agent Mikal Dontay. Dontay, this is Maggie Sawyer, my fiancée." Maggie held out her hand politely, but Dontay turned back to Alex at the introduction.

"Fiancée?" he asked, ginning madly. "Damn girl. That ivory tower has changed you."

"Not changed," Alex said confidently, "I've just finally been able to embrace who I always was." Dontay nodded and turned back to Maggie, who still had her hand out and was looking confused. Confusion turned to surprise when he pulled her into a bear hug.

"Oh no girl," he said, twirling her around a few times. "In this family we don't shake. We hug it out."

"Oh, okay," Maggie said, smiling brightly as Dontay finally put her down.

"We were just going to grab a quick bite before Maggie has to go," Alex told him. "Care to join us?"

"Raincheck?" he asked. "I promised Eddy I'd help him scour the budgets. He really wants a cappuccino machine."

"And if he has room in the budget he gets it," Alex smiled at him. Dontay nodded. He nodded to Maggie.

"Ms. Sawyer. It was a pleasure meeting you. I'm sure we will see each other again."

"Likewise," Maggie said as he pulled her into another rib crushing hug before putting her down. With a smile, he continued walking down the hallway. "Is he always like that?" Maggie asked as they made their way to the small cafeteria.

"Pretty much," Alex said. There weren't many people there yet, so they were able to get some food quickly. "Wait till you meet Eddy. Eddy and Dontay are complete opposites, looks wise. Dontay is this huge, intimidating black guy and Eddy is this charming, scrawny white guy, but they are best friends. So close it's almost like they're two sides of the same coin." She paused while they walked over to an empty table. "Dontay is Security Chief at the Bunker. He can be intimidating when he needs to be, but most of the time he's a giant teddy bear. Eddy is the Director. He's a charmer, but he's also thinking about so many things at once that he seems cold and distant."

"You seem to know them pretty well," Maggie said, taking a bite of her dinner. She frowned and looked down. "This is disgusting." Alex laughed.

"Welcome to the real world of the DEO," she said, taking a bite of her own meal. "And yes, I do know them very well. We were all in the same training class."

"What?" Maggie asked. Most of the field agents at the DEO in National City were from the same class, that's why they worked so well together, but she had never even heard of these two. "Wait. How long were you here?"

"About two years," Alex admitted. "J'onn recruited me out of college, which isn't that unusual for our lab agents, but he wanted me to be a field agent. He trained me himself, right here, for over a year. When I was ready I joined the rest of the field agent recruits. Our class graduated and all of us, except for Dontay and Eddy, went back to National City with J'onn. Then Kara came out as Supergirl. We brought her here initially because there is no way to contain Kryptonians in the National City DEO."

"Wait," Maggie held up her hand, stopping the story. "You have a way of containing Kryptonians here?" Alex nodded.

"We can contain just about any alien here that we need to. We have regular cells here, but we also have special cells where we can manipulate most aspects of an alien's environment to counter their powers. For Kryptonians, we have special rooms with Kryptonite emitters. We can control how much Kryptonite they are exposed to. It can weaken them slightly or completely knock them out."

"I'll bet Superman is thrilled about this," Maggie snorted. Alex shrugged.

"He wasn't to impressed," Alex confirmed. "The DEO's continued use of Kryptonite has always been a sensitive issue to Superman. It's why he never worked with us before. Of course, it was much different back then, and to be honest I don't think I would trust Cadmus with any of the mineral, but he's had a change of heart since being infected with the silver Kryptonite. I mean, we all know it wasn't him, but a lot of people could have been hurt while he was under its influence. He now concedes having a non-lethal way to stop and contain different aliens might be acceptable."

"Sounds like he's growing up," Maggie said. "Learning to trust people."

"It's a start," Alex agreed as they finished up. "And it goes both ways. The DEO has agreed to get rid of all the Kryptonite at the Metropolis and National City offices, and warn them if we need to use any, and Superman has agreed to follow his cousin's example and work with the DEO, as needed. Anyway, Supergirl agreed to help us, but she needed to be trained. I stayed to train her. J'onn stayed to protect me. The rest of the team stayed to protect us both. Now that she's almost as good as I am, we didn't need to stay here anymore. We went back to National City."

"And Dontay and Eddy?" Maggie asked.

"Eddy was always fascinated by psychology," Alex told her, "even more so when it comes to aliens. Especially criminal psychology. Why do people do what they do, especially when it's so gruesome."

"Is he a psychologist?" Maggie asked. Alex shook her head.

"He never had enough patience for the schooling," Alex said. "But he joined the DEO knowing he wanted to be a jailer, to observe and unofficially study inmates. He and Dontay first met in DEO field training and they just clicked. Dontay just wants to kick butt and keep everyone safe. He's been following Eddy ever since, doing just that."

"Are they together?" Maggie asked carefully. Alex shook her head.

"Not like that," she told her. "Think more of James and Winn."

"Ahh," Maggie smiled.

"Eddy is actually married," Alex told her. "Has three kids. Dontay is the best babysitter they have ever found."

"Sounds like they're good guys," Maggie said, finishing up her dinner.

"The best," Alex agreed as she gathered up their plates and deposited them into the waiting bins. She held Maggie's hand as they started walking back to the parking lot.

"You sure I can't convince you to come home tonight?" Maggie asked.

"So I can help my mother move into her new apartment?" Alex snarked.

"I think Kara's doing all the heavy lifting," Maggie smirked.

"That won't stop mom from hovering," Alex said knowingly. Maggie smiled, thinking back to the conversation mother and daughter had. The DEO could not continue to search for a cure for Edith. Dr. Storm was a terrorist. They couldn't submit to his demands, no matter how much everyone wanted to help. They could look for a cure for Alex, but not Edith, despite knowing they had to help Edith in order to help Alex. J'onn wished he could do more, but his hands were tied. Even Alex accepted that they couldn't give in to his demands. Then Lena had a proposal for them.

She offered to take over Edith's case. L-Corp would work on half of the problem while the DEO worked the other half. J'onn was skeptical until Lena suggested Eliza lead the team. It was the compromise J'onn needed to okay the proposal. Lena set it up the next day.

She provided them a lab outside of L-Corp that they could set up however they needed. She didn't even bat an eye when J'onn insisted on the same level of security they had at the DEO, or that only DEO agents would be allowed access. Lena didn't even object when J'onn said she herself would not be allowed unsupervised access. She merely nodded her head and offered her services, or any service L-Corp had, if needed.

But Lena wasn't finished with her generosity yet. She also provided an apartment for Eliza Danvers for as long as she needed it. Alex bristled when she heard her mother would be moving to National City for the foreseeable future.

"She's only here because she loves you so much," Maggie said, sensing her partner's dark thoughts. Alex sighed.

"I know," she admitted, "and I love her. I do. But I can only take her in small doses and I think I've reached my yearly quota for the next decade." Maggie laughed. She could see the strain between the two women. "Besides," Alex continued, "between you and Kara I have enough babying. Add my mother and I'll never get to do anything fun again."

"Our evil plan is foiled," Maggie said, grinning brightly. She wrapped her arms around Alex. "We'll have to think of another way to keep you from stubbing your toe as you take down all those evil aliens."

"I have steel toed boots for that," Alex smirked, leaning in for a kiss. Maggie pulled her tight.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to come home?" she asked when they finally broke apart. "The trainees aren't even coming for another four days."

"And I need to prepare," Alex whispered back. Maggie sighed.

"I know," she reassured her, "and I want you to know I'm proud of you. I understand staying on base if they are forced to, and if I'm honest and the situation was reversed, I'd probably be doing the same. But that doesn't mean I won't miss you or hate every minute we're apart."

"I know," Alex said softly. "I hate it too."

"That's why after those two weeks are over, I'm gonna be right here," Maggie promised.

"Mags," Alex started, only to be cut off by her girlfriend.

"I know you still might have to stay," Maggie assured her, "but even if you don't think you can leave, you are treating me to a crappy dinner and some cuddle time. Deal."

"Deal." Alex grinned as she reluctantly left Maggie's embrace. "I'll see you then."

"Don't go soft on me now Danvers," Maggie said as she got into her car. Alex nodded and watched as she drove away, following the car until it was lost in the distance. Wiping away her tears, she retreated to her quarters. It didn't take long to unpack and soon she was in her lab, working away. She was lost in her thoughts when she heard a knocking on the glass.

"Alex?" She looked up at the voice, a big smile erupting on her face when she saw Eddy and Dontay. She motioned them in, stretching as she stood before wrapping Eddy in a huge hug.

"How's the cappuccino machine working out?" she asked when he finally released her. He rolled his eyes.

"I think it's a pipe dream," he said. Alex quirked an eyebrow when Dontay shut her lab door.

"Is this an official visit?" she asked. He nodded.

"You know," he started, looking around at the various machines lying dormant around him. "As much as we know you like your lab, I can get you an office. You'll need one to deal with recruits."

"You think the lab will intimidate them?" she asked, smirking. Eddy sighed before taking a seat, putting his briefcase at his feet.

"You never do anything the easy way, do you Danvers?" She smirked before turning serious.

"Did J'onn tell you what's happening?"

"Are you referring to the fact that we're training aliens," Eddy asked calmly, "or the fact that a mad scientist is playing twister with your genes?" Alex closed her eyes tightly before refocusing on him.

"Both," she whispered.

"We'll get through this," Dontay promised her, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder supportively.

"He gave us a basic briefing," Eddy told her quietly. "Dr. Hamilton has also briefed Dr. Kim on what to expect. He is expecting to meet with you before the recruits arrive." She nodded. "But on a more positive side we don't have a shrink, so I guess that means you've graduated from therapy."

"There's the silver lining I was looking for," Alex joked. After a minute he pulled a folder from his briefcase.

"We've gone over your training plan. It looks good to us, but we do have one thought you might want to consider." Alex looked at him curiously. "It's your group, and you can deal with them however you want, but you might want to take advantage of the more experienced agents here."

"I've already thought about that," Alex said, sliding over her own piece of paper. "These are the agents I want on my team." Eddy read the names quickly. None of them surprised him.

"These are good choices," he said, putting the paper into his briefcase. "I'll talk to them immediately, see if they want to jump onboard." Alex nodded. "I also noticed that you didn't have a second."

"Sir?" Alex asked. "I'm planning on sticking with them through it all, until the end." Dontay sighed.

"I didn't think you were that naïve Alex," he said. She looked at him in confusion. "It's noble, don't get me wrong, but it's not practical." He sighed and began pacing the lab. "These kids, they're on top of the world right now. And we all know there's only one place left to go. Down. Someone needs to break them down so we can build them back up again. And that person is you. You need to break them, just like you broke Kara. And, just like Kara, they are going to hate you for it. But, unlike Kara, they aren't going to understand, and they're not going to forgive you. Not for a while. They are going to hate you and everything you make them do, and they're going to fight you every step of the way. And if you don't have someone to step in when they get on your last nerve, and they will, you are going to do something you will regret. Trust me. I know from experience."

"Are you offering?" Alex asked. Dontay nodded.

"Anything for you baby girl," he said sincerely. Alex nodded. They began to throw ideas back and forth.

"I'll leave you to it," Eddy said as he gathered up his briefcase. They waved as he left but they were obviously caught up in ideas. Eddy smiled to himself as he let himself out. Those recruits didn't know what they had coming.


	18. Chapter 18

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Here we are," Maggie said happily as she turned into the parking lot of the Bunker.

"Finally," Eliza sounded relieved.

"I'm going to start taking this personally," she said as she sent a quick message to Kara as they were approached by a couple of guards.

"Detective Sawyer," one of the agents greeted her, shaking her hand politely. "Dr. Danvers." He did the same thing with Eliza. "The Director has given us instructions to escort you to the observation tower as soon as you arrived." He looked around, expecting one more guest. "Where is Supergirl?" As if on cue Supergirl fell from the sky, landing gently besides them.

"I forgot how much of a flight this is," she said as they followed the guards to one of the towers jutting up from the main compound. "Where exactly are we going?"

"The observation tower," the agent told her. "The Director is waiting for you up there."

"We had an observation tower?" Supergirl asked. "Why have I never seen this?"

"Because you never seemed to care," Dontay said as he waited by the elevator. He nodded to the agents escorting them, dismissing them back to their assignments. "The only part you ever seemed to care about was the containment area and the labs."

"That's not true," she objected quickly. Dontay watched her intently, a stern look on his face. "I was very excited to hear about the cafeteria. At least until I tried the food."

"I remember," Dontay said, the sternness quickly replaced by playfulness. He reached over and pulled Kara into a hug. "I don't suppose I could convince you to fly to New York and bring me back a pizza?"

"For you anything," Kara said, hugging him tightly, "but it might have to wait. I hear we have a very tight schedule today."

"That's the truth," he said, finally letting her go. He summoned the elevator. "Dr. Danvers," he greeted her with a quick peck on the cheek before pulling Maggie off her feet and twirling her. "Detective Sawyer."

"You really are a charmer," she said, smiling at him. "How did Alex put it? The brothers she wished she had and wants to get rid of at the same time." He laughed as the elevator arrived. A short ride later they were standing on an observation deck.

"Spoken like our true sister," he said, leading them over to the only other person on the deck. "Eddy. Our guests have arrived."

"Supergirl," the other man smiled as he waved to her. She eagerly waved back. "Dr. Danvers," he said, nodding politely. She nodded back. "And this must be Maggie. I have heard so much about you."

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear," Maggie said, blushing slightly as she held out her hand. Eddy took it firmly.

"So you didn't create the universe," Eddy frowned, throwing a glance at Dontay. "We'll have to correct Alex."

"Not it," Dontay said, throwing his hands up. "You want to risk your life by saying the wrong thing about her girl, that's your funeral. Me, I'm just gonna watch."

"Coward," Eddy told him.

"Realist," he countered. Maggie laughed. She was starting to see why Alex liked them so much.

"So where is my girl?" Maggie asked. Eddy led them back to the window he was standing in front of. They saw several pairs of binoculars waiting.

"She's taking them through the obstacle course right now," he told them, picking up his binoculars and watching. The rest of the group did the same.

"We have an obstacle course?" Supergirl asked, not needing binoculars. "How did I not know about this?" Dontay looked at her incredulously.

"Do I really need to explain to you?" he asked, "or do you just want to set the course record? Finish it in under a second." She pouted.

"I've just always wanted to run one," she told them.

"Next time you blow out your powers we'll set it up for you," Eddy said, watching the recruits carefully. "We didn't tell her you were coming," he said after a minute. "We didn't want to distract her and weren't sure if you would want her to know."

"She'll drop everything for you though," Dontay added, looking at Supergirl. "If you want her here, I can swap her out."

"I don't want to impose," Supergirl started unconvincingly. Dontay and Eddy shared a look.

"I'll go tap her out," Dontay said, heading for the elevator. Five minutes later Alex was rushing from the elevator.

"What's wrong?" she asked, eyeing everyone carefully. She was completely covered in mud.

"Can't we just miss you?" Maggie asked, smiling brightly. It had only been a little over a week since she last saw her, but she was missing her fiancée more than she ever thought she would.

"You miss me?" Alex repeated back, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. She looked between Maggie, Kara, and her mother. None of them should be here. Kara was the only one officially allowed to be here, and she hated the place. There was no way she would be here willingly. "No," Alex shook her head, sending tiny mud particles flying. "There's something else going on."

"We think we've come up with a viable treatment plan for Edith," Eliza told her calmly. Alex nodded her head. She was kept up to date with the treatment plans for Edith.

"You've been able to isolate the mutated DNA?" Alex asked. Eliza nodded. "Which mutation are you trying to fix first?"

"Her strength," Eliza told her. "Kara has agreed to donate DNA to her." Alex shook her head. "We believe we will be able to insert small strands of Kryptonian DNA to compensate for her lack of strength. And hopefully, if she's stronger, the rest of the processes will be easier for her to endure." Alex shook her head more violently.

"I'm doing it," Kara insisted.

"No," she insisted. "It's not that. I'm proud you are willing to help a complete stranger."

"Then what are you objecting to?" Kara asked.

"You can't submit a child to that procedure," Alex told them, starting to hyperventilate slightly. "It was so painful, the most painful thing I have ever experienced. It will kill a child."

"Oh honey," Eliza said, reaching out and touching her arm gently, "we have no intention of using the procedure."

"Then how?" Alex asked, perplexed.

"The Medusa Virus," Kara explained. "It's designed to target specific DNA. Dr. Hamilton and her team have already reprogrammed it to target the damaged sequences in Edith's DNA. The only thing they're missing is the new DNA to put in."

"Your DNA," Alex said, shoulders slumping in understanding. "You're going to be using the emitters."

"We need her blood," Eliza said gently. "And I don't think we want to make her burn out her powers to get it."

"No," Alex agreed. She turned to Kara. "Do you want me there?"

"Yes," Kara answered, her lip quivering slightly.

"Then there I will be," she said, pulling her sister in for a very messy hug. Alex looked over to her mother. "Do you need anything else?"

"A lab," she said immediately. "We need to do some initial testing to determine how much blood we need. And I don't want her to go through this more than once." Alex nodded in agreement.

"You can use my lab. It should have everything you need."

"Thank you," Eliza said generously. She turned back to Eddy. "Director."

"Dr. Danvers," he said gently. "I'll make sure you have everything you need. Right this way." He led her toward the elevator, leaving the three women standing on the deck.

"What have you been doing," Maggie asked as soon as they were alone. "Playing in the mud?"

"Pretty much," Alex said, releasing Kara and heading toward her fiancée. Maggie quickly jumped out of range, which led to Alex chasing her. They started running around the room and didn't stop until Kara took pity on Maggie. She pulled her sister to her side, letting the detective get somewhere safe.

"We need to shower," Kara said, looking down at her mud-covered suit. Alex sighed.

"C'mon," she said, heading toward the elevator. In minutes they were back in the bustle of the main base. "Do you remember where the showers are?"

"My memory is as good as ever," Kara said as she headed off.

"You should get some clothes from supply first!" Alex yelled as Kara disappeared from view.

"C'mon Danvers," Maggie said when Kara was gone. "Let's get you cleaned up." She grabbed her hand and started pulling her down the hallway to her quarters. She tried to loop underneath her arm and snuggle into her side, but Alex pulled away.

"I don't want you to get dirty," she said. Maggie rolled her eyes.

"Where was this chivalrous streak ten minutes ago?" she asked as she found her quarters and opened the door. Alex smirked at her. "Get in the shower. I'll find you some clothes."

"Yes ma'am." Alex gave her a quick salute then headed to the bathroom. Ten minutes later she emerged, clad only in a towel.

"When do we have to meet Kara?" Maggie asked, smacking her lips in appreciation when the towel fell off. Her hands rose up to caress the pale flesh without any conscious thought. Alex moaned and leaned closer to her lover.

"Soon," she whispered, leaning down and kissing Maggie deeply, her own hands sliding under the shirt she was wearing. They were caught up in each other until there was a timid knock.

"Alex?" Kara asked quietly. They both groaned but pulled away from each other.

"Give me a second Kara," Alex called out as she quickly began getting dressed. A minute later she opened the door to find Kara, blushing fiercely, staring at the floor.

"I'm sorry," she started stammering, "but Eliza sent for me and I can't do it alone."

"It's okay," Alex said, stepping out of the room and pulling Kara into a hug. Maggie quietly shut the door as they headed down the hallway. "It will be okay. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."

"Thanks Alex," Kara sighed, stopping at a door. She took a deep breath and opened it. They stepped into a training room. There was nothing remarkable about it that Maggie could see, except for the medical tray waiting for them. "I really hate this room."

"I know," Alex said, heading toward the tray as Eliza and Dr. Kim entered. Kara flinched when Kim approached the tray.

"Alex," Kara's voice quivered. Alex immediately was by her side.

"You don't have to do this," she told her confidently. "No one is going to think less of you."

"It's not that," Kara said, her eyes never leaving the needles. Alex rolled her eyes.

"You're such a baby," she smiled, gently pushing Dr. Kim away. "Do you want me to do it?" Kara nodded. Alex spend a minute getting everything situated before turning to her mother. "How much do you need?" she asked her mother.

"Let's start with a couple of vials," she told them before addressing Dr. Kim. "We're not sure how effective our extraction process will be against alien DNA. We'll take this first sample, process it, and see how much viable DNA is intact. That will give us a more complete idea of how much blood we'll need."

"Agent Danver's lab is ready," Dr. Kim told them. "All we need is Supergirl's blood."

"You ready?" Alex asked quietly. Kara took a steadying breath and nodded.

"Initializing emitters, twenty percent," Alex said, inputting commands into a side panel. The room instantly glowed green. Kara instantly sucked in a deep breath. "You okay?" Alex asked, her hand hovering over the shutoff button.

"Fine," Kara answered shakily. Maggie went over and put a supportive arm around her.

"Why are you just standing there?" she shouted to Alex. She shot her fiancée a murderous glare. Alex sighed, pushing a chair toward Kara. Kara collapsed instantly.

"We have to let her absorb some of the radiation for a few minutes," Alex explained, heading to the tray and snapping some gloves on. "It's why we don't like to do this if we can help it."

"It makes me a little queasy," Kara told Maggie. Maggie squeezed her hand gently as Alex finally picked up the syringe. Kara squealed and tucked her head into Maggie's shoulder, but kept her arm steady.

"Supergirl is afraid of needles?" Maggie asked, laughing at the thought.

"They're unnatural," Kara said, not looking up while Alex quickly drew the blood they needed. Kara continued to hide until the two vials were filled. She handed them off to Dr. Kim before withdrawing the needle. The doctor pocketed them and quickly left the room, taking the extra second to turn off the emitters.

"All done," she said, putting a band aid over the sight. Kara finally lifted her head. Alex grinned, leaning over and kissing the band aid. "All better." Maggie smirked when Kara finally smiled.

"So how many of your recruits have you scared away?" Kara asked, feeling her strength slowly returning.

"I resent the implication that I would intentionally scare the recruits away," Alex grinned mischievously as she put the tray back in order, "just because they're not good enough for you."

"So how many?" Maggie asked knowingly. Alex smirked.

"Four so far," she told them, "but we're still in the physical stage of training. When I can kick their asses in combat training I should be able to scare away more of them, not to mention how many usually leave when we get to the alien shit."

"Alex," Kara whined, finally getting enough strength back to stand. "You shouldn't scare them away. You should teach them."

"I am," she said innocently. "The first lesson you need to learn is when you don't belong." Everyone laughed before Alex turned serious again. "You should get something to eat while you can," she told her sister. "The process to separate the specific DNA strands is quite destructive. We'll need two major donations, maybe even three."

"How do you know this?" Eliza asked, stepping forward to check on her youngest. Alex shrugged.

"I might have eyeballed the math," she confessed. Eliza sighed.

"How long have you been working on this problem?" she asked. Alex shrugged.

"Since I got here," she reluctantly admitted.

"Alex!" Maggie said, rolling her eyes. "You are not supposed to work on this problem. You're supposed to be training the latest group."

"I am," she told them. "I can do both."

"Honey," Eliza said, reaching for Alex's arm, "is it really a good idea to be working on your own cure?" Alex looked at the floor.

"You're not," Kara said, knowing her sister's tells better than anyone. "You're working on Edith's cure."

"She needs more help than I do," Alex insisted. "Besides, if we cure her, Dr. Storm will cure me."

"Alex," Maggie said, looking at the other family members uncertainly. "It's noble that you want to help her, but you should really focus on yourself right now." Alex shifted uncomfortably, looking over Maggie's shoulder.

"I should really check on my recruits," she said, bolting for the door. The three women watched her go sadly.

"Did you really think she would stop working on a cure?" Maggie asked, breaking the silence.

"No," Kara admitted, "but I thought she would be working on her own cure, not something for someone she has never met."

"If she turned away she wouldn't be Alex," Maggie reminded them. They all let that sink in until the silence turned uncomfortable.

"I should go check on the testing," Eliza said, reaching out to touch her youngest daughter's arm. She rubbed lightly. "Are you sure you're okay to do this? It's not too late to change your mind." Kara nodded. Eliza smiled at her daughter before leaving the room.

"Come on little Danvers," Maggie said, holding out her hand and helping Kara to her feet. "Let me buy you a crappy dinner."

"It's probably a good idea," Kara said as they walked to the cafeteria. "Alex will need to either turn the emitters higher or have me exposed longer when it comes time to draw the blood. I'll need all the strength I can get, and I doubt I'll be up to eating for a few hours after."

"Well, I know Alex will be there for you," Maggie said as she grabbed her tray. "And so will I."

"Thanks," Kara said, smiling up to the woman her sister was going to marry. "I'm really glad you're joining our family."

"Me too," she said as they dished out some food and headed to a corner. They talked and laughed as they ate, causing many people to turn and stare at them. When they were done they went back to the observation tower, watching as Alex led her group through drill after drill. The only difference from this morning was Alex was only watching, instead of getting dirty herself.

"I thought I would find you two up here," Eliza said, causing them both to jump. She smiled as she joined them at the window.

"You've made yourself scarce," Maggie commented. She shrugged.

"I oversaw the testing," she told them, "and while we are waiting for results I went and visited Jeremiah."

"How is he?" Kara asked.

"Good," Eliza said, watching the recruits. "Worried but good. He misses you."

"I'll see him eventually," Kara promised. "I'm just a bit busy right now."

"He knows. He knows he was wrong, what he did. He just wants to make it right. He knows he needs to wait patiently for you to make the first step."

"I want to see him so badly," Kara confessed, tears in her eyes, "but I don't want to step on Alex's toes. She has never hated me, never even raised her voice at me, until it came to Jeremiah. I just don't want to come between her and her father any more."

"He knows," Eliza reassured her. "And when you're ready, when you're both ready, he will be there." Kara smiled and let Eliza pull her into a hug. They looked up when Alex emerged from the elevator.

"It's time," she told them. "Dr. Kim finished the test. Here are the results." She handed the folder to her mother but kept her gaze on Kara.

"How much do we need?" Kara asked, taking deep breathes to calm the fear building inside her.

"A lot," Alex told her, "but not as much as I feared. We're going to do two blood draws with an eight-hour recovery period in between. You'll probably feel pretty crappy for a couple of days too. You sure about this?"

"Absolutely," Kara said before looking at her sister hopefully. "You'll stay with me, right?" Alex shared a look with Maggie.

"There's nowhere we'd rather be," Alex said, leading them from the room. The training room had a bed in it this time when they walked in. Two chairs were across from it. "Do you want higher or longer?" Alex asked as she stopped by the control panel. Kara frowned as she climbed on the bed.

"Higher," she said, closing her eyes tightly. She reached out blindly as she felt the emitter turn on, surprised when someone grabbed her hand. She opened her eyes to see Maggie holding her hand tightly.

"It's okay little Danvers," she smiled while Alex prepared on Kara's other side. "I've got you." Kara nodded and closed her eyes again. She let out a little whimper when Alex inserted the needle but kept quiet as she followed her instructions to get the blood flowing. Once the bags started filling, Alex reached over and grabbed Kara's other hand.

"Almost," she kept repeating as the bags filled. Once they were filled, she quickly withdrew the needle, putting a cotton ball over the site. She ran to the wall and shut off the emitters. "It's over," she said, returning to her sister and gathering her up in her arms. Kara was shaking and looked green.

"I'm okay," she mumbled, letting herself melt into her sister's embrace.

"Sure you are," Alex whispered quietly, rocking Kara slowly. Eventually Kara calmed down. "I want you to spend at least five hours under the sun lamps," Alex said. Kara nodded, not making any attempt to leave her big sister's arms until she thought she could stand on her own. When Kara finally eased out of her grasp, Maggie helped the Kryptonian off the bed. They both held her gently as they walked to the med bay, where the sun lamps were already set up. They helped her on the bed and sat and just talked about their day, just like they would do on movie nights. And in eight hours, they did the same thing again.

* * *

AN: We have officially made it to the halfway mark. When I realized how huge it was getting, I tried to condense scenes that just repeated themselves. I think I have everything flowing nicely now, even though it is still a monster of a story. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with it so far. More to come in a few days.


	19. Chapter 19

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Agent Danvers!" Alex glanced toward the door to see Eddy entering the training room. "You have a new recruit." Her eyes widened when she saw Winn follow him into the room. She heard a growl and turned back in time to grab her opponents arm, throwing him to the mat for the fifth time that morning. Eddy watched in amusement as Alex stepped back, letting him decide whether or not to stay down. "Carry on," he said as he left the training room. Alex glared at Winn while her opponent took the opportunity to roll to his knees and attack the distracted agent. Alex was ready for him though, jumping his feeble attack and pushing him back onto the ground with her foot in the middle of her back.

"Ouch," Winn said, wincing in sympathy. Alex looked back at him then around to the rest of the class. Everyone else was watching but had the good sense to stay quiet.

"Never assume your opponent is too distracted to know what you're doing," she said, grinding her foot into her recruit's back. She kept him there for a few minutes, allowing her lesson to sink in. "We fight aliens. Sight is our greatest sense, but theirs could be sound, smell, detecting vibrations, or even sensing our presence psychically. Never underestimate your opponent." She glared at the recruit on the ground for a few minutes until he reluctantly nodded. There was always one person in the group who thought they were better than the trainers. That person was usually the first one to fall on their face. Alex gave him another push before stepping off. He gingerly rose to his feet before taking his place with his squad. "Recruits. I would like to introduce you to Agent Schott."

"Hi," Winn waved weakly to the room. "How's it going." The recruits looked at him angrily. He quickly shut up when Alex glared at him.

"He has earned the right to be called an Agent of the DEO, something some of you will never be able to do. As such, you do whatever he says."

"Why wasn't he with us before?" one of the bolder recruits asked. "I don't remember him crawling around in the mud. Why should we listen to anything he says?"

"Hey now," Winn said, taking a step forward. "That's just mean." The recruits growled at him and he took a step back. "But I totally can see your point." Alex rolled her eyes.

"Agent Schott is one of our technical agents. That means he is way smarter than you ever will be. He is the brains. You are the brawns. It would be wise to listen carefully to every word that comes out of his mouth, for it will save your life one day. I suggest we start now." She turned to Winn. "Pick a number between one and twenty."

"Umm," Winn looked confused. "One?" Alex raised her eyebrows. "Two. Five?" he asked uncertainly. She simply stared at him. "Ten."

"Ten," she shouted back, causing him to jump. She looked back at her recruits. "A ten-mile run." Everyone grumbled as they left the room. "In full pack." That caused even more grumbling. Alex nodded to one of the agents on her team, who quickly started yelling for them to move.

"Um," Winn said to Alex as the group slowly filled past him, "did you know there's a Mildovian in the group?"

"What?" several recruits asked, but the agents ushered them away, leaving Alex and Winn alone in the training room.

"I did in fact," Alex said, raising her hands to rub at her temples, trying to keep the inevitable headache away. "And now so do they. Thanks Winn."

"Oh," Winn said as it dawned on him, "they weren't supposed to know."

"It's not that I don't want them to know," she said, walking over to the bench and grabbing a water, "it's more I don't want to out them. They should be able to decide for themselves when and if they reveal their true selves. And they shouldn't have to do it until they're ready."

"I see," Winn said. "I'll try not to out any of the other aliens then."

"Winn," Alex whined.

"What? I work with aliens all day. Do you honestly think I can't spot em? Even when they're trying to blend in?"

"Winn?" Alex whined again, motioning to the bench. "Not that I don't love seeing you here, but what are you doing?"

"Well," he started, glancing at the floor to unsuccessfully hide his unease. "It's kinda complicated."

"Winn," Alex said again. This time he looked up and caught her eye.

"I want into the class." Alex laughed before realizing he was serious.

"They will eat you alive," she told him, "besides, you don't just join a field team halfway through training. You've got to earn your spot, and quite frankly, you're not really field material."

"Trust me, I know," Winn agreed. Alex narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "It's just, I've always felt like a liability whenever it came to the fighting. I mean, when the White Martians invaded I really didn't stand a chance. I didn't even try to fight back. I just screamed like a girl."

"I did fight back," she reminded him, "and they got me. No one thinks you're helpless because of that. No single human could have stopped them."

"Then the Daxamites invaded," he continued, looking at his feet. "How many agents died protecting me while I ran away?"

"Winn," Alex came closer, grabbing onto his arms until he looked at her. "The agents died defending the base. That's their job. That's what they did. Your job is to run away to figure out a way to stop them for good. That's what you did." He slowly nodded.

"And what about when I'm out with James?" he asked softly. "I love being the man in the van, but sometimes the fight spills out to me. I don't want to be the reason James is distracted and gets hurt." Alex sighed as she released him.

"What does J'onn say?" He perked up.

"He said it was probably a good idea to learn some basic self-defense, especially with my extracurricular activities."

"And what if they need you for a mission?" Alex asked. "You know I only trust a few people with Kara's safety."

"Not a problem," Winn said. "Vasquez is taking over in my absence, but if it's something really big or important I can always link up from the computers here." Alex sighed.

"Fine," she reluctantly admitted, reaching into her cargo pocket for the pill bottle she kept there. She shook two pills free, dry swallowing them quickly.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned.

"Fine," she said before freezing completely. She turned to him. "You're here to babysit me," she accused heatedly.

"No," he quickly disagreed before frowning. "Well, yes. I mean, not like that." She glared at him and he took a deep breath. "We're just worried about you. And the headaches aren't getting any better. You're needing more pills than before just to get through the day."

"How did you," she started before her eyes narrowed. "Dr. Kim has been talking."

"Hamilton is still your primary physician," he told her. "Kim reports to her. And the reports haven't been encouraging." Alex sighed and rubbed her temples, sitting down heavily on the bench.

"It's not entirely unexpected either," she told him. "Hamilton had me on some pretty heavy narcotics. There was no way I could train these recruits on them. When J'onn assigned me this, we both knew she would have to change to a non-opioid pain reliever and go to a smaller dose. We both knew it wouldn't be easy."

"But they're not getting any better, are they?" Winn asked. Alex didn't bother answering him.

"That doesn't mean I need a babysitter," she spat bitterly before grimacing. "Sorry. You didn't deserve that."

"That's okay," he shrugged it off. "Besides, what kind of babysitter would I be if I didn't bring toys."

"What?" Alex perked up, her interest peaked.

"You know Storm had all sorts of inventions in his warehouse," he started. Alex glared at him. She had heard about all the new tech in his warehouse, but J'onn was purposely keeping her out of the loop, trying to keep her as far away from Storm as he could. "Right. Moving on. Storm basically gave us everything in the warehouse, including all his inventions. Some of those have amazing commercial applications. Lena has already offered to help develop the technology. One of the pieces that is really promising is a remote bio monitor."

"Really?" she asked, her eyes lighting up at the possibilities before narrowing again suspiciously. "No. I am not wearing a remote bio monitor so everyone can baby me any more than they already are."

"It's actually pretty cool," Winn said, "and it's not like everyone will see it. I made a few upgrades in the coding to allow for privacy filters. It links up wirelessly and will only display to one location, Hamilton's office, unless you, the patient, sync it with additional locations. And it has a passive mode, so it won't continually display unless readings fall outside accepted parameters."

"No," Alex shook her head.

"I thought you might say that," Winn smiled evilly, "so I had an idea on a way to make you cooperate." Alex glared at him. "I was thinking, why can it only link up to a medical office? It has a passive mode, so why can't it link up with other things in passive mode? Say, a computer in a car. Then, if anything falls outside of accepted parameters, the computer can just shut down, after safely stopping the car, of course."

"Are you saying if I wear this stupid monitor I can drive?" Alex asked. Winn smirked.

"But if you don't want my toys I can just take my car and go home," he said, grinning mischievously. Alex rolled her eyes and smacked him across the arm. "Ow," he mumbled, rubbing the stinging arm. "But in all seriousness, if we can get the bugs worked out this could be a game changer. No more waiting around in hospitals so they can observe you. Your doctor could literally monitor your condition while you go about your daily business. And if anything bad happens, they'll know immediately. But it still needs to be field tested, and I can't think of a better person to help." Alex thought about it for a minute.

"Only Hamilton would have the data?" she asked.

"I think it would be a good idea for Kim to be in the loop," Winn said, "just because Hamilton is so far away right now. And I need to be in the loop since we're still trying to work out all the bugs, but I promise I will never change it from passive mode without your knowledge and permission." Alex thought about it for a few minutes before sighing.

"Hook me up," she told him reluctantly. He smiled brightly.

"Great. Dr. Kim has the prototype in the med bay. He's checking a few settings. In the meantime, I do have some other toys." He pointed to his satchel. He opened it and quickly pulled out a watch.

"Tell me there's a laser in there so I can cut my way out the next time I'm captured."

"Not a laser," he told her, handing her the watch, "but there is a foolproof way of escaping." He hit a button and the face of the watch flipped up, revealing a button shaped like Kara's house crest.

"A panic button?" she asked incredulously. He nodded.

"Straight to Kara," he told her. "And just so you know, it isn't because of this." He gestured to her awkwardly. Alex rolled her eyes. "Kara is terrified of losing anyone. She asked me to make these for all of us. I'm just starting with yours because, you know." Alex nodded, and Winn continued. "But in a couple weeks even J'onn J'onzz will be sporting one of these beauties. Assuming, of course, Kara convinces him to wear it."

"I'm sure she'll find a way," Alex said, taking the watch Winn handed her and quickly swapping it for her old one.

"So, if you hit the button it will transmit a distinct code on a frequency only Kryptonians can hear. It will also connect with her phone, in case she's ever out of hearing range."

"Thanks Winn," she smiled at him.

"No problem," he told her, letting her have a few minutes to get herself back under control. When she was ready he led her towards the med bay. "By the way, James said to tell you if you ever need Guardian to take these guys down a peg or two he is available. He also said to bribe you with an offer to take the bike out for a ride after dealing with the recruits."

"I get my car and my bike," Alex laughed. "It's like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one."

"You get your car," he corrected her gently, "but I believe the bike is still under strict supervision. You and James will need to work out the details."

"Right," Alex said as they approached the med bay. She stopped at the doors, gathering her courage, before busting through. Dr. Kim looked up from the device he was studying. "Let's do this."

* * *

"Danvers!" Alex looked up from the training room floor where she was observing her recruits doing their hand to hand combat practice. Dontay was as the door, looking grave. "There's been a situation."

"A situation?" Alex asked, her mind going into overdrive at the various possibilities.

"J'onzz is bringing Supergirl in," he said darkly. The recruits muttered excitedly, but Alex tuned them out.

"Here?" she asked, already moving to the door. "Why isn't she being brought to the National City base? We moved all her equipment to their med bay." Dontay shook his head.

"She doesn't need the med bay," he said quietly. "J'onzz requested a containment cell." He looked past Alex's pale face and found Winn. "He also requested your presence in Command Agent Schott."

"Of course," Winn said, following Alex from the room. The recruits looked between each other. Dontay sighed.

"You can come to Command but stay out of the way." He hurried out of the room, the recruits eagerly following him. In seconds they were entering Command.

"J'onn?" Alex asked, already at a console.

"She's fine Alex," J'onn told her. "I'm two minutes out. I need a containment cell with emitters."

"What happened?" Alex asked desperately.

"I'll explain when I get there," he said tiredly. "I need the emitters at five percent."

"Winn!" Alex called over her shoulder. He nodded.

"I got it," he said, following Dontay out of the room.

"Here," Dontay said as he led Winn to the nearest special detainment cell. Winn rushed over to the access panel by the door.

"Bringing emitters online," he said as he typed in commands. Soon the room was bathed in a green glow. "Lowering output to five percent." The room went back to normal. You could barely see the glow and only if you knew to look for it. Once he was done he turned to Dontay. "Five percent isn't that bad. That means he just wants to weaken her powers, not suppress them. And we don't have to try and pierce her skin for any reason."

"Right," Dontay said, his tough exterior falling for a minute as he wiped his eyes. A second later they heard movement coming down the hall and he threw up his walls again. Winn sighed and turned to see J'onn carrying an unconscious Supergirl into the cell, Alex a step behind him. As soon as he laid her on the cot, he threw an arm around Alex and dragged her from the cell.

"Lock it up," he instructed. Dontay nodded and typed in the command.

"No!" Alex screamed, fighting against J'onn with all she had. He released her as soon as the door was locked, and she bolted to the cell, banging on the door. "Kara!" Kara twitched on the bed and Alex turned her glare to J'onn. "What did you do?"

"What I had to," he told her gently, "to keep everyone safe. Including Supergirl." Alex nodded absently but didn't leave her place by the door. They all knew she wouldn't leave until Kara was awake. J'onn looked at Eddy, who had joined them without anyone noticing.

"We'll need containment cells for all the members of the strike team," he told him.

"Are they a threat?" Eddy asked, hating the question but needing an answer. J'onn shook his head.

"The team was sent on a recovery mission," he explained, placing his hand on Alex's back to make sure she was listening. She stiffened and turned her head slightly in his direction. "They were all exposed to some type of psychic power that has caused them all to hallucinate. Supergirl was able to fight the effects long enough to disarm and secure the rest of the team before succumbing. If it wasn't for her there would be several civilian casualties."

"So they were wammied and they just need to sleep it off?" Winn asked. J'onn nodded.

"Somewhere where they will not hurt themselves or others," he told them. Eddy and Dontay looked at each other.

"I think we can think of something," Eddy said. "ETA?"

"Forty minutes," J'onn said. Eddy nodded and left the room. Dontay took a step closer to Alex.

"She'll be okay, babydoll," he said. Alex nodded, and he gently squeezed her shoulder before leaving the room.

"Why is she unconscious?" Alex asked after a few minutes.

"I had to tranquilizer her," J'onn admitted. "Whatever they saw, they were terrified. We had to tranquilizer all of them in order to move them." Alex nodded just as Kara's eyes shot open. She immediately was using her heat vision, fighting something only she could see, but with the emitters on it did little more than scorch the cell she was in.

"Kara!" Alex screamed, causing Kara to stop using heat vision.

"Alex?" Kara screamed back as she tried to find her sister. Her eyes lit up again, trying to fight her way out of whatever she was seeing. "Alex!"

"Kara!" Alex desperately banged on the glass before shooting a glare to J'onn. "Open it up."

"She'll hurt you," J'onn tried to reason with Alex, but hearing her sister's scream was too much for you.

"I don't care!" Alex screamed, pounding on the door again. "Kara!" J'onn turned to Winn.

"Increase the emitters to ten percent," he ordered. Winn nodded, typing in the command. Inside the cell, Kara's heat vision blinked before disappearing. Kara slumped to her knees. "Open the door." Alex was through before J'onn even finished giving the order. She wrapped Kara in a hug, pulling her sister as close as she could.

"It's okay," she whispered, rocking Kara gently back and forth. "It's okay. I got you. I'm here."

"Alex?" Kara's voice was panicky. "They're hurting you."

"No, they're not," Alex said soothingly. "I'm okay. I've got you. They're not here. Whatever you're seeing is not real." Kara closed her eyes tightly and buried her face in her sister's chest, her arms wrapping around her in a crushing hug. Alex took in a pained breath but continued soothing her sister.

"The psychic residue is fading," J'onn said, his eyes glowing as he read Kara. He blinked and stood up straighter, looking toward Alex. "I think in about two hours it will be gone completely."

"I'm staying with her until then," Alex said. J'onn nodded. He had expected nothing less.

"The door stays locked until she is completely free of its influence," he said, looking at the Kryptonian. She had never looked so small. "And only I can unlock it."

"I understand," Alex said, whispering a few more words to her sister before focusing on J'onn again. "Thank you for making sure she didn't do anything she would regret while she was under the influence."

"Anytime," he smiled at her. "Now, Agent Schott and I need to figure out a way to deal with these aliens. We'll be in Command. I'll leave a guard outside the door if you need anything." Alex nodded, her focus again on her sister.


	20. Chapter 20

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"What have you got?" Kara asked as she and Alex joined the group in Command four hours later. Alex had insisted on staying with her sister for the two and a half hours it took for the psychic influence to completely wear off, then insisted Kara spend an hour under the sun lamps. They had just finished eating everything in the commissary when Kara finally decided she was ready to go.

"Feeling better?" J'onn asked, trading a sly grin with Alex. Kara rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine," she said exasperatedly before her eyes filled with concern. "What about the strike team?"

"They'll be out for a while," Dr. Kim said, joining the group. "The effects are wearing off, but much more slowly than they did for you. I estimate it will be two to three days before they're fully free of the influence."

"Humans are far more susceptible," J'onn said, "which is why I will be going alone when we finally find them."

"Not the best idea," Winn said, looking up from his tablet. "I was able to do some digging once the strike team arrived and J'onn was able to see their memories. We are looking for Zonbians."

"Zombies?" one of the recruits asked from the back of the room. Everyone turned to look at him. Alex narrowed her eyes when she saw all her recruits shifting uncomfortably in the back of the room.

"Uhh," Winn started, "no. Close." He typed a few command on his tablet and the main screen showed the information he was pulling up. "Zonbians are aliens who have a particular type of psychic power. They can make people see and hear anything they want."

"Did any of them register?" Alex asked, finally taking her eyes of her recruits.

"No," he shook his head, "but we did get a hit when I ran the race through the database." He pulled up another file. "We are actually looking for some Fort Rozz prisoners."

"Fort Rozz," J'onn sounded shocked. "We haven't heard from any of them since Myriad."

"They mostly crawled back into the shadows," Winn confirmed, "but I guess these guys decided to brave the outside world again. And then they decided it was time to rob a bank."

"They were sentenced to Fort Rozz by my mother," Kara said as she read the file on the main screen, "for dishonesty."

"Dishonesty?" Winn asked. "Isn't that a bit hypocritical considering the Kryptonian government lied about the planet being in danger?"

"She means fraud," Alex corrected while Kara continued to read. "Con artists. Being duped. The long con."

"I get it," Winn said, holding up his hands. "Isn't Fort Rozz a bit harsh for con artists? Isn't that where they sent murderers?"

"Woah," Kara interjected. "It said they had been operating on Krypton for over two hundred years before they were finally caught."

"I guess they had Fort Rozz coming," Winn conceded. "Anyway, there were four of them on Fort Rozz. They were recruited into Astra's army almost immediately. Two of them were with Non when he attacked Lord Technologies. One died during the battle, the other we were able to take into custody, where he died a few days later due to injuries sustained in the battle. They've been on our most wanted list ever since."

"As impressive as the history lesson is," J'onn said, "how does it help us with finding and stopping them."

"Their psychic ability is caused by a very specific type of radiation that they emit," Winn said, pulling up another screen. "I was able to program our satellites to detect that radiation signature and here's what I got back." An overlay of National City was up on the screen. Several of the more trafficked areas was covered in red. "As you can see they've been here for a while."

"They must have been here for months," Alex said, studying the map intently.

"The good news is this particular radiation is harmless," Winn told them everybody. "And it dissipates rather quickly."

"But the map?" Kara asked. Winn smirked.

"Shows where they've been," he told her. "When it picks up an active signature, it will show up green. As soon as they use their powers again we've got them."

"Good work Agent Schott," J'onn complimented him. "Any ideas on how to stop them?"

"Actually yes," he said, bringing up another diagram on the main screen. "We know they manipulate what we see and hear through manipulation of the synapses that transmit information to and from the brain. I was able to hack into the security footage from several places that got robbed so we also know their psychic power doesn't extend into the digital realm. If we can bypass the synapses, hard wire a comm directly into the brain, I think we can counter their affect."

"Counter?" J'onn asked. Winn nodded reluctantly.

"They'll still be able to manipulate what you see and hear, but there will be another voice, my voice, instructing you. As long as you listen to me I think we can make it work. The good news, without their psychic powers they are pretty helpless. It should be easy to knock them out and once you bring them here, we should be able to completely block their powers."

"And will you be able to modify a comm?" J'onn asked.

"Here's where it gets tricky," Winn admitted. "I mean, eventually yes I will be able to modify a comm, but who knows how much trouble they'll cause by then."

"I take it you have an idea on how to quickly accomplish this task?" J'onn asked, his eyes narrowing. Winn took a nervous breath, his eyes shooting to Alex.

"Dr. Storm," he admitted. "One of the advances Dr. Storm made for Edith helped with her hearing. It is a microscopic filimant that connects her brain directly to the hearing aid, essentially bypassing the synapses. I think, with his help, we can make the same modification for the comms in time to stop them." J'onn turned to stare at Alex. His brows furrowed.

"Fine," he finally decided. "I'll have Dr. Storm transferred to the science labs."

"What!" Alex shouted. "He's here?"

"Agent Danvers," J'onn glared at her meaningfully, but she ignored his subtle warnings.

"I want to see him," she said, glaring right back at him.

"No." J'onn said calmly, his clenching fists the only thing giving away his calm facade.

"I need to see him," she countered, raising her voice slightly. "I have the right to see him."

"No!" J'onn did shout this time. "He is not allowed anywhere near you."

"You can't keep me from him," Alex argued.

"Surely I don't need to explain the term Stockholm Syndrome to you," J'onn said angrily.

"With all due respect, Sir," Alex started angrily, only to be cut off by J'onn.

"Damnit Alex," he cried out. "I am not letting you near him. I can't lose you again." Alex stopped short.

"Fine," she spat, clearly still upset. "If you'll excuse me, I have combat assessments to finish." She turned and saw her recruits watching wide eyed. "Back to the training room!" she yelled.

"Alex," Kara tried, but Alex turned her back on her sister.

"I have training to do," she said icily. "The only thing I'm allowed to do apparently." With that she stalked back to the training room.

"I do not envy those kids right now," Winn commented. J'onn glared at him.

"Don't you have some work to be doing for me?" J'onn snarled.

"About that," Winn started. "You can't go on this op." J'onn glared at him.

"Give me one good reason why I can't," he said calmly.

"Because you will die," Winn told him. "Zonbians are especially powerful against other psychics. If you confront them they will overpower your mind and you will die."

"I'll go," Kara said. J'onn stared at Winn before nodding.

"Get to work Agent Schott." Winn nodded.

"We'll need you Supergirl," he said, leaving Command and heading to the lab where Dr. Storm would be arriving. She nodded before turning back to J'onn.

"Maybe we should have told her?" she asked uncertainly. J'onn shook his head.

"No," he reassured her. "She already has an unhealthy attachment to him. She's already too devoted to his cause. I don't want to give him any more chances to manipulate her." Kara nodded.

"She's not going to like this," Kara said, unnecessarily. J'onn closed his eyes.

"I know. But I also know how to deal with an angry Alex Danvers." He opened his eyes to look at Kara. "Let me worry about Alex. You need to focus on the Zonbians." She nodded and headed to the labs. J'onn turned to look at Eddy.

"Dontay went to make sure she didn't kill any of the recruits," he told him. J'onn nodded. "I take it the same restrictions apply regarding Dr. Storm?"

"More so," he answered. "I don't even want him on the same level as Alex. They are never to meet." Eddy nodded.

"We'll see to it."

* * *

"Alex?" Maggie knocked softly on the lab door. Alex's back stiffened so she knew Alex heard her, but she refused to look at her. "You okay?" She took a couple of steps into her lab, allowing her to put her hand on Alex's back, trying to comfort her fiancée. Alex pulled away as soon as she made contact. Maggie sighed. "Winn finished modifying the comms. He's guiding Kara through the obstacle course right now. She's blindfolded and relying on his instructions to get through. She's having a blast. You should come watch."

"I'm busy," Alex said darkly. Maggie glanced at the report Alex was focusing on. The report she was supposedly working on. The report that was completely blank.

"Dontay said he would get the gauntlet ready for Supergirl to run," she tried again. "I know she would like it if you were there. You know, to critique her performance."

"I'm busy," Alex repeated, continuing to stare at the monitor.

"Okay," Maggie sighed. She wanted to reach out and grab her fiancée and never let her go, but she resisted the impulse. The hug wouldn't be welcome right now. Instead she turned and started heading out of the lab. Alex's voice stopped her at the door.

"Did you know?" Alex asked coldly, still not looking away from the report she was supposedly working on. Maggie sighed.

"Yes," she admitted. Alex was completely still. She took a step towards her fiancée. "Babe? Please say something."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Maggie closed her eyes momentarily.

"We were afraid you would react like this," she told her honestly.

"Like what?" Alex asked icily. "Upset you would lock up an innocent man?"

"Innocent?" Maggie asked, her voice raising as she started getting angry.

"He doesn't deserve to be locked up in a place like this," Alex insisted.

"No," Maggie agreed, kind of. "He deserves something much worse."

"He didn't have a choice," Alex insisted. "He's a victim."

"No," Maggie interrupted her. "He was a victim. And then he decided to kidnap and torture someone to make his point. When he did that he became a terrorist." Alex sighed but Maggie didn't give her time to speak. "You want to know why nobody told you? Because we were all afraid you would react this way. You should hate him. You should be trying to throw him from the roof every chance you get. Put him in a cell and throw away the key. Instead, you're his biggest defender."

"He's just trying to protect his child," Alex whispered, close to tears.

"I know," Maggie told her, "and I sympathize with him. I really do. But he crossed a line that I can't ignore. And if the positions were reversed and it was Kara he targeted, you would be right here with me hating his guts. And it scares us all that you can't see that." Alex sighed.

"I have work to do," Alex told her tiredly. She closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling.

"Okay," she finally said. "I know you're angry so I'm going to give you some time to cool off." She walked back to Alex and placed a kiss on the top of her head. Alex stiffened but didn't pull away this time. "I love you." She still didn't say anything so Maggie left, quietly shutting the door behind her. She wiped her eyes as she made her way to Command.

"How did it go?" J'onn asked. Maggie shook her head.

"She wouldn't even look at me," Maggie admitted.

"She just needs time," J'onn told her. Maggie nodded, focusing on the screens in front of her. Winn had Kara hooked up to some kind of helmet cam, only it was more than one camera on her helmet. When Winn lined the monitors up he had full view of everything around her.

"How's it going here?" she asked.

"They're getting the hang of it," he said, as he watched Supergirl traverse the obstacle course using only Winn's guiding commands. "Do they have a final number?"

"1.4 million," Maggie told him. "We contacted all the banks in National City and asked them to inventory their vaults. The total discrepancy was 1.4 million."

"I remember when you could retire with that kind of money," Winn said as Supergirl crossed the finish line again.

"Money doesn't go as far as it used to," Maggie said before turning to J'onn. "The Chief wanted me to ask if we'll be able to hold these guys in the metahuman prison."

"Agent Schott?" J'onn asked. Maggie looked to the tech guy.

"The neural dampening tech should work," he told them after thinking about it for a minute. "We've never hosted any of these particular aliens before, so I would recommend a trial run at the DEO before we turn them over to the NCPD."

"I'll tell the Chief," Maggie said as Dontay finished setting up the gauntlet. They watched as the two of them got even better at their communication as she dodged the flying sandbags and foam projectiles. They ran both the gauntlet and the obstacle course several more times until finally Winn's satellite image of the city picked up a green spot.

"Woah," Winn said, stopping the testing. A second later Supergirl was standing with them. "We've just got a hit. It looks like our guys are hitting another bank." He quickly rattled off the address. J'onn nodded to Kara.

"Stay out of range until Winn gives you the all clear."

"That's going to be about a block," Winn told her. Kara nodded and sped off.

"I want a strike teams a block away on each side," J'onn ordered. "Cordon off the area but do not engage until I give the order. Team leaders will be armed with Kryptonite tranqs. Tranquilize Supergirl only if I give the order. Is that understood?" The team leaders that were gathered in Command nodded and sped out.

"I can have Guardian will meet up with Alpha team," Winn said as he texted James.

"He's not planning on engaging, is he?" J'onn asked. Winn shook his head.

"Only in case Supergirl fails," he told his boss.

"And how will he counter their psychic abilities?"

"I put an experimental dampening field generator in his helmet," Winn told him. "One of the upgrades you authorized. Of course, we haven't had a chance to field test it yet, but were thinking that if something happens to Supergirl, Guardian is the next best choice to take them out. He's already used to listening to me and doing what I say when I say it. We already have the trust. That's half the battle right there." J'onn sighed but nodded.

"He doesn't do anything without my approval." Winn nodded and sent a quick message to James. Maggie turned to J'onn.

"Alex may be pissed right now," she said, "but she'd want to be here for this." J'onn nodded and turned to the room. Most of the agents were preparing to head out. The group of recruits were watching all the commotion going on before them with barely concealed glee and the same amount of panic. He couldn't send any of them to collect Agent Danvers. Finally, he spotted a junior technician studying a readout. "Micheals. Go to Agent Danvers's lab and tell her the Zonbians have just been located. Supergirl is already on her way to intercept them." The Agent nodded and left Command.

"I'm here," Supergirl reported a few minutes later. "I'm hovering a block away. I can see the bank. I can't see them, but there are plenty of people in the bank."

"They're probably customers, either going about their business completely oblivious or terrified out of their mind in whatever setting the Zonbians put them in."

"I'm going to go with option one," Supergirl said. "They are all acting normally." She paused for a second. "Is Alex there?" Winn looked up just as Micheals reentered Control. He nodded as he retook his position.

"She's on her way," Maggie said. "She'll be here in a minute. She just has to save that incredibly important report she was working on." Kara scoffed.

"We both know she hasn't done anything on that report," Kara said. Maggie smiled.

"True," the detective admitted, "but we love her, and she's hurt and angry right now. Burying herself in work has always been an outlet, a way for her to calm down until she can think straight again. I'm not going to take away that outlet."

"Me neither," Supergirl agreed. "It's just the first time I've been up against a Fort Rozz escapee on my own. Alex has either been right beside me or in Command."

"I know it's scary," Maggie told her, "but you're not alone. I'm here, and J'onn and Winn and all your friends. And Guardian is heading to the scene, along with Dontay and Eddy and all your other friends. And Alex will be here soon."

"I know," Kara admitted before something caught her eye. "I think they're leaving the vault."

"We can't let them leave the building," J'onn said as the strike teams got into position.

"I can't engage them," Supergirl told him. "Too many civilians are around."

"I've got an idea," Winn said, turning to J'onn. "If the customers are just oblivious, that means the Zonbians haven't trapped them in their own minds yet. If I were to hack into the system and set of the fire alarm, they'd all evacuate."

"The Zonbians will know we're onto them," J'onn added.

"But it will get the civilians out of harm's way," Supergirl said. "Do it."

"You'll need to be fast," Winn said as he hacked their system. "We haven't practiced opening doors and I doubt the bank wants a new skylight."

"Just tell me when Winn," Supergirl said. Winn typed furiously for a few more minutes before smiling triumphantly.

"Got it," he said. "Now remember, as soon as you get in there you are going to be under their influence. Just listen to me and do exactly what I say."

"Right," Supergirl said, ready to fly into the bank. "Now." She dove in just as Winn hit the command for the fire alarm. She landed in the lobby just as the people started running out. "Run! Go! Woah."

"Supergirl?" Winn asked. "They're powers are definitely active right now. What are you seeing?"

"A concrete box," Supergirl told them, looking around distractedly. She raised a fist, ready to punch her way out.

"Don't move!" Winn commanded. She immediately stilled. "People are still evacuating. If you move you might hurt someone."

"I hear people crying for help," Supergirl said, torn between her natural instinct and Winn's instructions.

"That's what they want you to think," Winn told her. "In another ten seconds everyone will be gone, and you can start hunting them down." Kara nodded and forced her arm to drop.

"Alpha and Bravo teams report the civilians are all safe," J'onn said a few seconds later. "You can start moving."

"Right," Kara said, swinging a wild fist.

"Woah," Winn said. "Remember, you are not in a concrete box. You are in the middle of the lobby at First National Bank. You can't trust anything you see right now."

"Good," Supergirl said, "because the concrete just turned to ice."

"That's just them trying to find something to stop you with," Winn said. "Just follow my instructions. Take one step forward. Now another. Now another." They did this for ten minutes until Winn finally saw one of the aliens. "Okay. I've got one. Take three steps forward and then turn forty degrees to your right." Supergirl did and was staring right at the alien. "A short burst with heat vision should knock him out." Supergirl did as instructed.

"Did it work?" Supergirl asked a second later. The Zonbian had been blasted back into the counter and was slumped on the floor.

"It did," Winn told her. "One of the psychic signatures has stopped."

"Why am I still seeing things?" Supergirl asked.

"We do have one more Zonbian to find," Winn told her, "plus it does take a few hours for the effects to wear off."

"Let's find the other one," Supergirl said.

"I don't see him anywhere in the lobby," Winn said. "He must have fled into the vault. I'm pulling up the blueprints now." Kara nodded, staying completely still. Winn had just pulled up the blueprints when an alert flashed on his screen.

"What was that?" Kara asked, shifting from foot to foot. "It didn't sound like anything I've been hearing since I came into the bank."

"Nothing," Winn said, frowning at the alert. "You know me. I always have multiple projects going on. Let's just focus on the other alien. You need to take seven steps backward to get into the open lobby again." She did just as the alert sounded again. This time a pop-up window accompanied it. He looked back to find Maggie staring at the screen in shock. He quickly covered up his comms. "Go," he whispered. She nodded and ran out of the room.

"Okay," Supergirl said after a few seconds.

"The vault is behind the counter. You need to hover. Higher. Higher. There," Winn directed her. "Now fly forward very slowly. And stop. Now, gently drop back down." She followed his instructions and soon he was guiding her into the vault.

"Winn," she said, stopping suddenly. "I hear Alex's panic button."

"No," he said, frantically typing on his keyboard. He pulled up the special program that kept track of all their panic buttons. Alex's was flashing red. He looked over his shoulder at J'onn, who suddenly looked very tense. "It's just the last Zonbian playing tricks with your mind. You need to forget about it right now. Just focus on my voice." Supergirl nodded and they began clearing the room. After a few minutes they had the last alien cornered. It learned from its partner, though, and didn't stay still long enough for Supergirl to hit it with her heat vision. Finally, she just used her breath. She circled in place and blew everything in that room into the walls. The alien included.

"Alpha and Bravo teams move in," J'onn shouted. "Neutralize the alien threat and escort Supergirl back to the Bunker."

"Are we going to need the tranqs?" Dontay asked as he led his team forward.

"Not at this time," J'onn said.

"Okay Supergirl," Winn told her. "The calvary is on its way. Just stay completely still so you don't accidentally hurt any of them."

"I hear them," she said after a minute. "And I think I'm starting to see real things again."

"That's good," Winn said, focusing on his other screen as soon as he heard the strike team enter. "They must need a recharge time after using their powers. Hopefully the recovery time is shortened as well. They're coming into the vault now." Supergirl nodded.

"Threats neutralized," Dontay reported after a minute. "The portable dampening fields working at full capacity. Two targets in custody. Transferring them to holding cells."

"Job well done," J'onn said. He calmly put down the comm before running out of the room.

"Winn," Supergirl called out after a minute. "I can still hear the panic button."

"Oh," he said, turning back to his computer. A few commands and the light stopped flashing, only to come on again a second later.

"Winn?" Supergirl insisted.

"It must be a technical bug," Winn said, just as another alarm sounded from his workstation.

"What was that?" Supergirl insisted. "I know that didn't come from the Zonbians, so what is going on."

"Umm," Winn started, but he was too busy trying to understand what he was seeing to answer her.

"That's it," Supergirl said. "I'm on my way back." She started slowly inching her way outside, only to run into a wall.

"Hold on," Winn told her. "Guardian is there. Let him help you back."

"Okay," Supergirl said, stilling again. A second later she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I got you," James said, his voice changed by his vocal modular. Kara let out a relieved sigh.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"I don't know," he told her honestly. "Let's get back and find out." He carefully took her hand and guided her out of the building.

"I don't know if I can fly like this," she told him.

"J'onn sent a chopper for the Zonbians," he told her. "We can catch a ride." She nodded as she let him lead her. Dontay was supervising the transfer. He didn't say anything as they climbed aboard. Ten minutes later they were landing at the Bunker.


	21. Chapter 21

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Alex!" Supergirl called out, running into the facility, only to run into a wall.

"Hey," James shouted after her, barely able to keep up. "Calm down. Knocking yourself out won't help her."

"Right," she admitted, pulling herself out of the wall. The steel had a giant dent in it, but it seemed okay.

"Here," James said, taking her hand again. "Let me lead you." They started walking toward the entrance. "I'm sure Alex is fine," he tried to reassure her. She shook her head.

"I can hear her heartbeat," Supergirl said.

"That's good," James smiled until he saw Kara's frown. "That's not good?"

"It's way too fast," she said. "Something happened." James picked up the pace and started to lead them to Command, but Kara shook her head. "She's in her lab. She's not alone." James nearly ran the final leg but stopped short of the door. Winn who was standing there, glanced up when he saw them.

"Kara," he said, throwing his arms around her. "Are you able to see again?" She allowed the hug for a second before focusing on the room.

"More or less," she said, stopping in the doorway. It took her a minute to realize what she was looking at.

"She needs to calm down or else she's going to have a heart attack," Hamilton said clinically.

"The sedative had no effect," Kim said, barely keeping the panic at bay. "If we give her any more it could kill her."

"You have to try something," Maggie said desperately. She and Eliza were right next to Alex, trying to calm her down but having no luck.

"If we had her gun I might suggest shooting her," Hamilton said, finally showing the strain she was under. "Director?"

"Nothing," J'onn said, eyes glowing brightly as he tried to connect with her mind.

"Alex!" Kara shouted, finally being able to focus on her sister. She was curled into a little ball in the middle of the floor, her arms flopping uselessly around her. She rushed forward, not caring if she broke a table or lab equipment in her rush to get to her sister. Arms tried to stop her, but she pushed them away. She pulled Alex away from Maggie and rushed to a quiet corner. She dropped to a sitting position, draped her sister across her lap, and started to rock gently. "C'mon Alex. You know this. You're safe. I've got you." She pressed their foreheads together, never stopping her whispers or the rocking.

"Kara?" Kara glanced up at Eliza's worried voice but didn't stop rocking or whispering. Eliza held out some tissues. "For her nosebleed." Kara was confused until she took a deep breath and smelled the blood. She took the tissues and held them against her sister's nose. She never stopped rocking.

"Her heart rate is falling," Hamilton told the room ten minutes later. Twenty minutes later Alex was nearly asleep in her sister's arms. "Her vitals are returning to normal." She turned to J'onn. "Are you able to read her now?" J'onn focused on Alex, his eyes glowing.

"Still nothing," he told them, shuddering slightly as he refocused on the doctor. He looked to Kara. "How did you know how to calm her down?"

"I used to get panic attacks," she told them quietly, never stopping her rocking movements. "Severe panic attacks. Alex was the one to get me through them. Just like this. I hoped she would remember, even if the roles were reversed."

"It seemed to work," Hamilton said, reaching over and gently tugging the tissues away from Alex's nose. "The bleeding seems to have stopped."

"Do you think this is Storm?" Maggie asked. James had his arms around her as they watched helplessly. "I mean, she was fine three hours ago."

"I'll have to draw some blood to be sure," Hamilton admitted. She motioned to Winn, who held out a tablet for her. She frowned at whatever she saw. "We need to get her to med bay." Kara nodded and tried to get up, but the room shifted before her and she sank back down. J'onn noticed and came over.

"May I?" he asked, holding out his hands. It took Kara a minute to focus before she nodded. He gently took Alex from her grasp then ran out of the room.

"Hey Kara." Kara looked up at the voice, struggling to get the face to focus. She eventually stopped trying and pulled her knees up.

"Winn," she said, resting her head on her knees.

"I take it you're still feeling the effects?" he asked gently, sitting down across from her.

"It wasn't so bad before," she admitted, "but without Alex."

"You don't have anything to focus on," he said knowingly. He was quiet for a few minutes. "Can you hear her heartbeat?" Kara nodded.

"It's the only thing I'm sure of right now," she admitted. He looked on sympathetically.

"Then is it okay if I just sit here with you quietly?" Kara nodded. They were eventually joined by James, then Maggie.

"They're running some tests," Maggie said quietly, nudging Winn out of the way and taking her place by the blonde's side. She gently pulled Kara to her side, cuddling her like she knew she needed. "Is this okay? Can you still hear her?" Kara nodded.

"How is she?" she asked weakly. Maggie ran her fingers through the blonde hair.

"Sleeping," she said softly to the Kryptonian.

"You should be there with her," Kara answered quietly.

"Eliza's there," Maggie told her before lightly punching her side. "Besides, soon we'll all be crowding her room. I think Hamilton is happy to have some space right now." Kara smiled but made no attempt to move. They settled into a quiet vigil.

"Why is Eliza here?" Kara broke the long silence.

"She was with Dr. Hamilton when she got the alert," Winn said quietly. "They took a chopper here. They were here before you were."

"What happened?" Kara asked, lifting her head from Maggie's shoulder. Maggie sighed.

"I was with Winn in Command when the first alert came," she told her. "I rushed out, toward the lab. I found her. She was on the ground, covered in blood. I thought she fell and hit her head, but when I came in I could see she was conscious. She was also twitching. At first, I thought it was a seizure. I was about to call for help when Dr. Kim arrived. He had received the same alert and came running. He was able to tell immediately it wasn't a seizure and said she was having a panic attack. That's when I realized she was trying to hit her panic button."

"Which she did," Kara said, shooting Winn a dark look.

"I'm sorry," he told her sincerely. "If I told you it was Alex you would have left, and we wouldn't have been able to contain the aliens. Innocent people could have gotten hurt."

"I know," she said, the fight draining out of her. She looked around the room, her eyes focusing on a small pool of blood she didn't notice before. "Is that?"

"Her nose was bleeding," Maggie told her, "a lot." Kara nodded.

"Is it starting to clear up?" James asked. Kara focused on him. It took her a minute to realize he had changed from his Guardian suit.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I can hear a lot better too. Can I see her?" They all looked at each other.

"Maybe you would like to change first?" Maggie suggested. Kara frowned, then looked down at her suit. Streaks of red painted the blue fabric.

"Alex?" she asked. Everyone nodded solemnly.

"C'mon little Danvers," Maggie stood up and offered her a hand. "Let's go shower and change and then see your sister." Kara nodded. She let the detective pull her to her feet, closing her eyes when the room flickered again.

"I'm fine," she could practically see their worried expressions. "I'm just a bit under the influence right now."

"Which is why I'm driving," Maggie said as she steered her toward the locker room. Ten minutes later they were approaching med bay. "Eliza," she called out gently. The older woman was sitting next to Alex, stroking her face soothingly. She jumped when she heard her name, turning around and pulling Kara into a giant hug.

"Are you okay?" she asked, pulling away so she could run a critical eye over her youngest, looking for any sign of injuries. Kara smiled shyly.

"I'm okay. The aliens we went after were able to get into my head, make me see and hear things that aren't there. It's just going to take some time for the effect to wear off completely." Eliza nodded at the answer and pulled them closer to Alex. She carefully led Kara to her sister's side, placing her hands on Alex's still ones. Kara gasped when she felt the bandages, squinting to try and get a better view.

"She was clawing herself," Maggie explained, putting her hand over Kara's exploring one. Kara stilled immediately. "Trying to hit the button." She gave Kara's hand a squeeze before moving to the other side of the bed.

"Is it Storm?" Maggie asked, holding Alex's other hand and cradling it gently.

"We think so," Eliza told them sadly. "We're running some tests right now," she started, only for the door to open and Dr. Hamilton and J'onn to enter.

"The tests came back positive," Hamilton said, handing the folder over to Eliza.

"What does that mean?" Kara asked. Eliza scanned the folder before shutting it with a sigh.

"Dr. Storm inserted certain," she hesitated, looking for the right words, "booby traps in your sister's genetic code." Kara nodded. "Through her initial unconsciousness and throughout her first active trap, I've been getting better at reading the signs when her DNA has been tampered with. Now, I'm nowhere near finding a way to undo the things Storm did, but I can now tell when a trap is active."

"And one is," Maggie finished, her hand tightening around her fiancée. Eliza nodded. "Do you have any idea what will happen?" Hamilton shook her head.

"She was in a complete state of panic when we found her," she explained gently. "Anything could have caused it. And until she's awake and can tell us more, we'd just be guessing."

"What was J'onn trying to do?" Maggie asked.

"I was trying to calm her down," J'onn said, suddenly appearing in the med bay doorway. "Dr. Hamilton was forced to resort to a sedative, but that wasn't working. I was trying to connect with her telepathically."

"What does it mean," Kara asked, "when you weren't able to read her?"

"I'm not sure," J'onn admitted. "I was able to read her mind, but all I saw was darkness. I'm still trying to understand it myself." He looked to Dr. Hamilton. "The chopper is ready."

"Chopper?" Kara asked.

"I'm moving her back to National City," Dr. Hamilton explained. "The lab is there, along with the medical team that has been treating her since this started. That is her best chance."

"Then I'm going too," Kara said, tightening her grip on her sister's hand. Hamilton smiled.

"You and Maggie can both ride in the chopper with me."

* * *

"Sensory deprivation," Hamilton announced as she ran back into the room. Alex had been awake for a several hours, long enough for Hamilton to run some tests. She handed the folder to Eliza, who was sitting next to Alex's bed. Eliza took the folder and looked through the results, frowning at the numbers. "More complete than anything I have ever seen."

"That makes sense," J'onn told them. "When I tried to read her all I could see was blackness. At the time I thought that was because she was panicking, but I tried a few minutes ago, when she was awake and calm, and saw the same thing. Blackness."

"How?" Kara asked, never stopping her rocking. She was still the only person able to calm Alex down, which meant whenever Alex was awake, Kara was rocking her on her lap.

"I have no idea," Hamilton admitted. "We did an MRI of her brain. The scan shows extremely reduced activity in the areas where we process our senses."

"Is it permanent?" Maggie asked softly, her hand tightly clutching her lover. Hamilton could only shrug.

"I don't think so," she told them. "The affected areas still show activity, just nothing near the level we would expect to see. As far as I can tell her senses are still operating normally, for example, her pupils still contract when I shine a light on them, it just seems the signal is getting blocked somewhere before it reaches her brain."

"Why would he do this?" Eliza asked, putting the chart away.

"It's the ultimate psychological torture," J'onn told her. He looked at Alex. "Without her senses Alex is essentially gone. She's a shell of the person we know she is, and there's nothing we can do to stop her from breaking bit by bit."

"Which gives us a lot of incentive to find Edith's cure," Maggie said darkly. "I really hate him."

"Me too," Kara said, her voice laced with venom it usually lacked. Maggie looked back at Hamilton.

"How long can she live like this?"

"To be honest," she started, "I don't know. Normally, if you lose a sense the others compensate for the loss. People have lost one, even two, senses before and lived productive lives. But to lose them all, all at once. It was no surprise she was panicking. It will depend a lot on her."

"Best case scenario?" Kara asked. Hamilton thought for a minute.

"Best case, she knows what's happening to her, even if she doesn't know how. She knows we're here and working to get her back. She'll hold on to whatever sanity she manages to salvage until we can bring her senses back."

"Worst case?" Maggie asked.

"She doesn't realize what's happening and she fights us, until one day, her mind reaches its breaking point and she shuts down. We can keep her body alive, but she is essentially a vegetable. If it reaches that point I don't think undoing whatever Storm did will even bring her back."

"How much time do we have?" Kara asked. Hamilton sighed.

"I have no idea," she admitted. "Those examples were the two extremes. Likely, she'll fall somewhere in the middle. We can only hope she falls toward the better scenario." She reached over and put a hand on Kara's shoulder. "This is going to be a battle of the mind. And we both know Alex won't give up without a fight."

"Right," Maggie said, squeezing Alex's hand tightly before getting to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Kara asked.

"To talk to Storm," she said. "If he did this, he can undo it."

* * *

"Detective Sawyer," Storm greeted Maggie like an old friend. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Whatever you did to take away her senses, fix it," Maggie said, bending over the table but not sitting down. He smiled.

"So that's the next one," he asked for confirmation.

"Like you don't know," Maggie said, banging her fist on the table. He smirked.

"Oh, I know what they all are, and I know how to stop them, but I have no idea which order they will trigger. Except for the first one, of course." He got a wistful look on his face. "I must admit she would have been an interesting case study. I thought I would have been brought back here much sooner. She is incredibly strong, but eventually everyone falls." Maggie growled.

"How do we stop it?" Maggie demanded. "Tell me."

"My dear Detective," Storm said calmly. "You know what you have to do to buy my cooperation."

"I got you the files," she growled, finally taking the seat across from him.

"And the research is impressive," he admitted. "I always knew the answer was alien in nature." He paused and gazed at Maggie. "But impressive isn't a cure."

"Cures don't happen overnight," she countered. They stared at each other for a minute before Maggie broke. She lowered her head into her hands, massaging away the headache she could feel coming. "We're close," she admitted, raising her head to stare at him again. "They've almost got the procedure worked out. But this is not something you want to rush. We could hurt Edith if we try and rush this before we're ready."

"And Alex's condition will give you plenty of incentive," he told her. "Your doctors have done a fine job taking my research to the next level. I have no doubt they will overcome this final obstacle."

"You do know this is just the first step?" Maggie asked him wearily. "It could take years for them to completely cure her. You can't expect Alex to last that long without any of her senses?"

"I doubt she'll have to last that long," he smiled at her. "I'm sure your scientists are working the problem as we speak and soon will have the procedure perfected. When they do, administer the first treatment to Edith, and I will give you the formula to save your lover.


	22. Chapter 22

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Come on, come on," Eliza muttered while she stared into the microscope. "Damn!" She threw her folder on the table in frustration.

"Eliza?" Kara asked tentatively. Eliza quickly lifted her head.

"Kara," she smiled tiredly at her youngest before picking up the papers that had gone everywhere. Kara helped her, and they soon had everything back in the folder. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to see that."

"I've seen worse," Kara told her kindly. She pulled over a couple stools and sat them both down.

"Alex?" Eliza asked.

"Sleeping again," Kara told her. After the last few days they were developing a pattern. Whenever Alex was awake she would panic, unless she was being held and rocked by her sister. Which meant whenever Alex was awake, Kara would be in her room, rocking her gently. "I'm letting Maggie have some alone cuddle time." Eliza nodded.

"I'm sure she appreciates it," she said knowingly. Alex's newfound codependence meant the only time anyone could be alone with her was when she was sleeping. It was hard experiencing it as a mother, she couldn't begin to imagine how Maggie was coping. And it wasn't as if Alex was actively fighting against them. As long as Kara was rocking her she was calm and completely still, if not totally catatonic. But it was an improvement to the panic on her face the few times she woke up that Kara wasn't there. "Just don't go too far."

"Don't worry," Kara said tiredly. "I'm always listening. As soon as she starts waking up I'll zip right back there."

"Honey," Eliza said, staring at her daughter critically. "Are you taking care of yourself? You look tired."

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" Kara shot back, before sighing. "Sorry. You didn't need that."

"I probably deserved it," she admitted. She knew she looked like crap, with dark circles under her eyes from too little sleep. She reached over and took Kara's hands. "We need to take care of ourselves so we can take care of her."

"I know," Kara admitted gently, "which is why Hamilton is moving a bed into Alex's room. The next time she crashes, so will I."

"Good," Eliza said, returning to her work.

"And you?" Kara asked.

"I have a few more simulations to run then I promise to get some sleep," Eliza told her.

"Anything I can help with?"

"I thought you didn't like science?" Eliza asked, setting up another slide.

"I said it was boring," Kara elaborated, "but that doesn't mean I don't understand it. I do come from an advanced world."

"So advanced they destroyed themselves," Eliza said while she worked.

"I never said they didn't have their problems," Kara said, moving over to stand next to Eliza. "What are you doing?"

"These are samples of Edith's DNA," Eliza explained. "We've been able to modify the Medusa Virus to target these very specific strands of DNA, and we've been able to isolate your DNA to the strands we need, the problem is they aren't connecting."

"Connecting?" Kara asked. Eliza nodded and put the sample under the microscope. She flicked a switch and a computer screen turned on, showing what was happening.

"Adding Medusa," Eliza said, applying a drip onto the slide. The strand seamlessly split. "Adding DNA," she said, adding a second drip. Kara's DNA filled the gap, connecting the strand perfectly.

"It's working," Kara said enthusiastically.

"And here's where it stops," Eliza told her dejectedly. "Adding Serum 248." Kara watched as another drop was added to the slide. They watched the DNA absorb the serum and after a minute Eliza looked up. "Here's the main test," she said, reaching for another switch. "Adding electrical current." She flipped the switch and joined Kara at the monitor. "Come on, come on," she encouraged, but after a few minutes the DNA broke apart.

"What does that mean?" Kara asked.

"It means that we're still missing something," Eliza sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "We can splice her genes and insert other DNA, but we can't keep it together. All the treatment will do right now is kill her." She opened her eyes and started pacing the lab. "We need some way to link the strands together."

"What about nanobots?" Kara asked. Eliza stopped pacing and stared at her.

"Nanobots?" she asked, obviously unfamiliar with the term. "What are those?"

"Really small robots," she said. "I did an article on them, after Snapper fired me. It's what got me back on the payroll."

"I've never heard of them before."

"I'm not surprised," Kara told her. "They were really experimental. And they had some major problems, so it didn't take off like the company wanted."

"Problems?" Eliza asked. Kara sighed.

"Some people died," she admitted, "but not because of the nanobots. Except the nanobots killed them, but they were being controlled by some crazy woman. We stopped her and she's in jail now."

"So she probably won't help us," Eliza said dejectedly.

"She wouldn't know how to help anyway," Kara said. "She was just the money. And the main scientist who developed them is dead. But I do know who can help."

"Who?" Eliza asked, desperate for any help.

"Lena," Kara smiled at her then cocked her head up. "Alex is waking up."

"Go," Eliza said. Kara nodded and rushed from the room. "I'll go talk to J'onn."

* * *

"Thank you," Lena said to her guard. He nodded and took a step back, standing against the wall. Lena looked forward and knocked lightly on the open door before stepping in.

"Lena," Kara smiled at her from the corner of the room. "Thank you for coming."

"Anything I can do to help," she said sincerely, taking in Alex's listless form. "I brought that soup you asked for." She passed the bag over to Eliza.

"Hear that Alex?" Kara spoke gently to her sister, but never stopped her rocking motions. "Lena brought that soup you love so much. Let's let it cool down for a minute then we'll have a nice dinner."

"Here." Lena looked over to see Dr. Hamilton and Eliza draining the broth from the soup and adding several packets of powders. "Multivitamins," Hamilton explained at Lena's curious look. "She can swallow just fine so she's back to liquid diets. We can dissolve them in water, but broths go down easier, so we prefer those. Plus, they have additional nutritional values that water doesn't."

"Why not just use an IV?" Lena asked as they stirred the broth until all the powder dissolved.

"That did not go well," Maggie said, coming over and grabbing the cup. She tested the temperature by taking a quick sip, grimacing at the taste, but she wasn't burned so she attached the lid and moved toward her fiancée. "Ready?" she asked Kara.

"Ready." Kara sat up straighter, forcing Alex to do the same. She gently opened Alex's mouth.

"Here we go babe," Maggie soothed as she tilted the cup toward her open mouth. The lid kept most of the broth inside, allowing only a tiny amount to go into Alex's mouth. Maggie repeated the procedure several more times before moving the cup away. Kara closed Alex's mouth and Alex reflexively swallowed.

"Good girl Alex," Kara praised as she opened her mouth once again. "You're doing so good." Maggie tipped the cup again and again until it was time for Alex to swallow again.

"I am so proud of you. I love you so much." Maggie's praises added to Kara's as they continued to feed her. It was obviously something they had done many times before, since Kara never stopped rocking her sister and Maggie never spilled any of her meal. Eliza watched them for a minute before turning toward the newcomer.

"Kara thought you might be able to help," she said.

"I'd be happy to help in any way I can." Eliza quickly gave her the rundown of her research and the problem they were having. "And she thought nanobots were the answer?"

"So far nothing we've tried has worked," Eliza admitted.

"Nanotechnology is far from perfected," Lena protested. "Jack pushed them into production and paid for it with his life."

"It doesn't need to be perfect," Kara called, still rocking her sister. "It just needs to work. You developed the technology with Jack. If anyone can get it to work, you can." Lena sighed.

"We were kids, inventing in our parents' garages. We had big dreams and no idea what the real world was like. And when reality did come crashing down, I left."

"I know what we're asking is daunting," Dr. Hamilton told her. "I was here when Biomax went crazy. I was part of the team tasked with stopping it. I know what they're capable of. But I also know what they were intended to do. If we can get them to work like they were intended to work, they might just be the key we need. Can you help us?" Lena closed her eyes tightly, then nodded.

* * *

"National City Police Department thanks you for your cooperation," Maggie said as she removed the evidence seal from the main door of the Spheerical lab, "and we release the crime scene back to its rightful owner, Lena Luthor." She signed the official paper and then passed it to Lena, who also signed. After the technicalities were completed, Lena held up a key and opened the door for the first time almost a year. The door opened silently, vague outlines of machines could be seen in the darkened room. Lena stood back to let the DEO agents enter.

"The main power switch box should be to the left," Vasquez said as she and her team entered. They watched the team from the safety of the door until their flashlights were swallowed up by the darkness.

"So," Maggie said, making herself comfortable. Until the team got the power back on there was little the scientists could do. She turned to Lena. "You own Spheerical?" She nodded.

"I bought it right after Jack's death," she confirmed.

"Why did you purchase a dying company?" Maggie asked. "Are nanobots really that important." Lena laughed.

"It wasn't the nanobots," she explained. "It was the employees. Jack always said the most important aspect of any company is its employees. When I purchased Spheerical, I was able to incorporate the employees into L-Corp. The employees, who had the most too lose after Jack's death, were safe."

"That's surprisingly generous of you," Maggie said, looking at Lena differently.

"Because I'm a Luthor?" Lena spat. Maggie shook her head.

"Because you're a CEO of a successful business," Maggie said honestly. "Most CEO's only care about the bottom line. Many don't care about their employees, especially if it costs them profits." Lena sighed and leaned against the wall next to Maggie.

"I'm sorry I snapped," Lena said. "I just get so tired of people expecting the worst from me just because of my last name."

"I'm sorry too," Maggie said, sighing exhaustedly. "I never meant to upset you. And I know, more than anyone, how wrong it is to assume." Lena smiled at her just as the lights came on.

"Ma'am," Vasquez came running up to them a minute later. "You need to boot up the computers so we can begin securing them."

"Of course," Lena said, quickly following the agent into the now lighted lab. Several DEO agents rushed past her, carrying various equipment as they went. J'onn was insisting on the same level of security as the DEO, which Lena again agreed to. Maggie meandered through the lab slowly, watching as the agents worked until she spotted the person she wanted to talk to.

"Dr. Hamilton," Maggie called out, moving toward the group of doctors that had finally entered the lab. Hamilton looked up and spotted Maggie. She gave a few instructions to her team before heading into a quiet corner, Eliza following her. Maggie changed directions to join them.

"Detective Sawyer," Hamilton said politely.

"Dr. Danvers," Maggie said politely, but her attention was completely focused on Hamilton. "Kara thought she heard you're going to release Alex soon?" Hamilton sighed, expecting this conversation but hating to have it at the same time.

"That's right," she confirmed.

"Is it safe?" Maggie asked weakly. Hamilton sighed.

"There's very little that we can do for Agent Danvers in the med bay," Hamilton started gently, "that you and Kara cannot do for her at home. The main thing we are doing is monitoring her condition, which, thanks to Agent Schott's mobile bio monitor, we can do while she is at home."

"You're giving up on her?" Maggie asked sharply, the fear and anger she had been experiencing the last few days coming out.

"No," Eliza said gently, reaching out and holding Maggie's hand. "I will never give up on my daughter, but this could take weeks, maybe even longer. We both feel that Alex would be more comfortable in her own apartment instead of the med bay." Maggie nodded. That last part was certainly true. Alex hated being stuck in med bay.

"And it's not like I'm forgetting about her," Hamilton added. "She has a very precise care plan, and without her there to derail it, I expect you and Kara to follow it to the letter. I have a nurse assigned a home visit every day, and I will be stopping by from time to time."

"That sounds reasonable," Maggie said, a smile gracing her face.

"I'm not doing it just for her," Hamilton said. "I remember these two people who basically claimed my med bay as their home whenever Agent Danvers is there. They almost made themselves so sick I was tempted to admit them more than once." Maggie grinned sheepishly.

"We know you care about Alex," Eliza said, squeezing Maggie's hand, "but you need to take care of yourself too. Taking Alex home will help all three of you."

"Thank you," Maggie smiled deeply as Lena walked over to them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she started hesitantly. Maggie nodded that it was okay. "Agent Vasquez is updating the computer system and connecting remotely with the DEO servers. She said it could take a few hours to complete, but I thought we could go over the basic concept behind the nanobots until the computers are up." Eliza looked to Maggie, who nodded.

"I'll just go tell Alex the good news," Maggie said, excusing herself from the group. She practically hummed as she left the building and drove over to the DEO. She could tell Kara was just as excited as she was.

"Is it true?" Kara confirmed quietly, excitement shining in her eyes even as she held her sister gently. Maggie nodded, frowning at the IV. Alex didn't handle IV's very well right now. "She was sleeping when they put it in," Kara explained. "Dr. Hamilton wanted to try the serum Dr. Storm gave us from the last trap. She didn't seem very hopeful,"

"But she had to try," Maggie finished for her, reaching over and grabbing Alex's hand gently. "I doubt it will work. He planned this to well for there to be one cure for every trap."

"That's what Dr. Hamilton said," Kara confirmed. "She's trying a small amount, just enough to last for a couple hours. Hopefully Alex will sleep through the whole thing."

"And then we can take her home," Maggie smiled.

"They want one more MRI first," Kara told her. "Then we can take her home. And just so you know, you're going to be having a house guest for the foreseeable future."

"Why do you think we got the extra bedroom?" Maggie smirked, pulling the chair closer and laying her head down next to Alex's hand. She was asleep seconds later.

* * *

Maggie groaned when she finally opened her eyes. She barely resisted putting her head underneath the pillow and forgetting about the start of a new day. It was her rotation for the dreaded graveyard shifts, which meant she didn't get home until the wee hours of the morning. She glared at the clock when she saw the time. It was barely ten in the morning. She had gotten just under three hours of sleep. Growling slightly, she seriously did consider going back to bed when she heard the low mumbled conversation going on in the kitchen. Patting Alex's side of the bed she couldn't feel the warmth fading from the covers. That meant Kara had gotten Alex out of bed long ago. She sighed deeply before pulling the covers away and getting up.

"Coffee?" Kara asked as soon as she saw the detective. Maggie nodded, still half asleep, and took the offered cup, savoring its warmth. She took a deep breath, trying to wake up.

"I'm sorry if we woke you," Eliza said. Maggie's eyes opened. While it wasn't unusual for Kara to get Alex out of bed and ready for the day, they rarely had visitors, especially in the early morning.

"It's okay," Maggie said, watching as Eliza fed her daughter. Kara had obviously bathed and clothed Alex, who was leaning against her mother, accepting sips of juice contentedly. "How was the test?"

"Finally successful," Eliza told them. Kara celebrated quietly while Maggie set the coffee down and moved behind her fiancée. She carefully wrapped her arms around Alex, kissing the top of her head repeatedly. She hoped Alex would respond, but she just sat there quietly. Like always.

It had been two and a half weeks since they started working with the nanobots. Since they were able to bring Alex home. It had been awkward, at first, with Kara in the apartment at all times, but they were soon able to work out a system. Kara would always be there in the morning, calming Alex down when she woke up. Once Alex was calm, she was good with either one of them. This left both Kara and Maggie free to do day to day things, though one of them was always at home.

Alex seemed to be getting better too. It took less and less time for Kara to calm her down, and sometimes Maggie was able to do it when Supergirl was needed with something. She was also able to handle other people better than she did while in the Med bay. James and Winn were both able to watch her for a couple hours whenever Kara and Maggie were running late without incident. And, of course, Eliza never had any trouble with her. Kara and Maggie thought it was because they brought her home, but Dr. Hamilton cautioned them.

"She may well be responding to the familiar surroundings," Hamilton said after one of her checkups, "but she also may be losing the battle for her mind. You have to be prepared for both outcomes." They knew she was right, but that didn't stop them from hoping. And looking at Alex now, leaning against her mother as they ate morning breakfast, it was as normal as they had any right to expect.

"So what now?" Kara asked as she picked apart a sticky bun.

"Don't get your hopes up just yet," Eliza cautioned, helping Alex take another sip. "We still have a long way before we get a usable treatment plan."

"But you're headed in the right direction?" Kara asked happily.

"We think we are, but we still can hit a wall," Eliza cautioned, not wanting Kara to get her hopes up too high. "And it still fell apart after five minutes."

"But that's five minutes longer than all the other tries," Maggie said, smiling brightly. Eliza nodded.

"It's a start," she said, checking her watch. "And I need to get going. The results from the simulations I ordered last night should be in."

"Okay," Maggie said, shifting Alex's weight from her mother to herself. Eliza handed her the juice cup and Maggie helped Alex drink the last few sips while Eliza gathered her things. She kissed Kara on the cheek then came and did the same to Alex and Maggie before rushing out the door. Maggie watched her go before a huge yawn erupted.

"You should get some more sleep," Kara said as she slid the nearly untouched coffee away from the detective.

"Don't you have to go into Catco today?" Maggie asked, looking at her bed longingly but not willing to let down Kara or Alex for another few hours of sleep.

"Just for a quick meeting," Kara told her. "It shouldn't be any more than an hour. I'm sure Alex will be fine, especially if you cuddle with her."

"Fine," Maggie conceded, "but just for a bit. And I want you to wake me up before Nurse Ramirez shows up."

"Deal," Kara said, whisking the dishes off the counter. Maggie yawned again before scooping Alex into her arms. She carefully made her way back into the master bedroom and slowly lowered Alex onto the bed. "I'll be right back babe," she whispered, giving Alex a quick peck on the lips before heading to the bathroom. Quickly relieving herself, Maggie meandered back into the bedroom, unsurprised to see the changes that it had undergone in the few minutes she was away.

Alex was in her usual position, curled up on her side in the center of the bed, but a mountain of pillows had magically appeared creating a rudimentary barrier to keep her on the bed. Not that she moved much on her own. The only time she moved was when she was having a panic attack, and that was mainly uncoordinated attempts to hit her panic button. But Kara was always overly cautious with Alex's safety and insisted on building the great pillow wall whenever Alex was in bed.

Maggie frowned sadly as she climbed into the bed, pulling the covers over both of them before pulling Alex tightly against her, holding on firmly. She shouldn't be this content, not when Alex could be suffering unimaginable horrors right now. Horrors that they couldn't even begin to guess. And, again, the only way to help was to help Storm.

It was another three weeks before they had a viable treatment plan for Edith. Three weeks before they gave her the first treatment. Three weeks before Storm was satisfied with their effort and gave them the cure. Three weeks before they found out if she lost her mind.


	23. Chapter 23

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Shouldn't we wait until she's asleep?" Kara asked as she gently laid her sister on the hospital bed. "You know needles are about the only thing she reacts to right now, and they really freak her out."

"I know," Hamilton told her gently, "but it's better to administer the cure when she's awake. That way if there are any negative side effects she'll be able to tell us quickly."

"Because she's been so talkative these last few weeks," Maggie mumbled under her breath.

"Maybe tell is the wrong word," Eliza said, frowning slightly at Maggie, "but if she has any negative reactions to the serum, we're hoping she'll show it more if she's awake."

"Okay," Kara said uncertainly as she slowly backed away from the bed. Eliza put a comforting arm around her youngest as the med team worked around Alex. They hooked her up to monitoring equipment, despite the bio-monitor continuously sending her stats to the monitor.

"Are the restraints really necessary?" Maggie asked from the other side.

"I'm afraid they are," Hamilton told them as her nurses attached the extra padded cuffs around Alex's arms and legs. "We know she's going to fight us when we start the IV and we need her to lie still."

"It's in her best interest," J'onn said, putting a supportive hand on Maggie's shoulder. Maggie nodded, watching carefully as Alex was once again restrained. Finally, Hamilton nodded her approval and the nurses left. She looked to Eliza, who nodded determinedly.

"Okay babe," Maggie took a lax hand in hers, squeezing gently. "This is the time to fight. Come back to me." She placed a quick kiss on Alex's cheek while Alex gazed sightlessly up at the ceiling. She didn't react at all while they were moving her body, but they all knew that was about to change. Maggie gave one more squeeze before releasing her hand and stepping back.

To no one's surprise, Alex started fighting as soon as Hamilton inserted the needle for the IV. The restraints kept her from moving too much, but Hamilton also took the added precaution of wrapping the injection site in gauze and tape, making completely sure Alex could not accidentally dislodge the IV. Then she connected the bag filled with the new serum and took a step backward, carefully watching the monitors and her patient at the same time. Alex's reaction was instantaneous as soon as the serum entered her bloodstream. She completely froze, her body tensing up before she started struggling again.

"She's starting to panic," Kara said, listening as Alex's heart beat faster and faster. "Did it not work?"

"It's working as expected," Hamilton frowned, looking between the readings and Alex. She started to say more when a gurgling was heard coming from Alex. It sounded like she wanted to scream but didn't quite know how. She also was pulling against the restraints, but it seemed much more coordinated and controlled than any movement she was able to do before.

"What's happening?" Maggie asked as Alex started whimpering, screwing her eyes up tightly. She tried to rush forward, but J'onn pulled her back.

"I think I know," Eliza said softly before turning to Dr. Hamilton. "Release the restraints."

"Are you sure?" Hamilton questioned. "All of her readings are looking good. I don't think we should stop the treatment."

"I didn't say stop the treatment," Eliza said, moving forward and releasing her ankle restraints. Maggie did the same for her right hand and Kara released her left. Alex immediately curled into a ball, making her body as small as it could go, with her hands held tightly over her ears and her eyes tightly shut. "She's overstimulated."

"What?" Maggie asked, her hand hovering over her lover, but not touching.

"What can I do?" Kara asked, looking at her foster mother desperately.

"Do you have any noise cancelling headphones?" Eliza asked quietly. Kara nodded. "Go get them." Kara nodded and flew out the door. Eliza turned to Hamilton. "We'll need some dark glasses. The more we can block out everything the easier it will be." Hamilton paged a nurse, who quickly went to get retrieve the requested item.

"What else can we do?" Maggie asked desperately.

"Turn off the lights. Silence the monitors. The best thing is to stay calm and quiet," Eliza said. Her instructions were quickly followed, the room becoming as quiet and dark as it could. A minute later the nurse returned with the dark glasses. Eliza took them but made no move toward her daughter, who stayed as still as possible. Another minute later Kara flew back in, a pair of noise cancelling headphones firmly in her grasp. She held them out to her foster mother, but Eliza shook her head, handing her the glasses instead. "Just be gentle."

Kara nodded and approached the small figure carefully. "Hey Alex," she started quietly, so quietly that they could barely hear her. "I have a couple things that should help okay. I'm going to put them on nice and easy." She reached out her hand, but the second she touched her sister, Alex pulled away so hard she fell out of the bed. Kara was there before she hit the ground and easily caught her. Instead of putting her back in the bed, she moved to the corner, rocking her sister gently like she had been doing this entire time. "It's okay. I'm here. Just focus on me," became Kara's mantra, that she repeated continually. Alex tensed, but soon relaxed into the soothing motion. Kara was able to slip on the glasses and the earphones, which caused Alex to tense again initially, but soon she was even more relaxed in her sister's arms. Kara glanced up when Alex calmed again. Eliza nodded to her encouragingly.

"What exactly happened?" Maggie asked quietly, desperate to go to her lover but afraid of hurting her. J'onn still had his arm around her so she couldn't move even if she wanted to.

"She's overstimulated," Eliza repeated quietly. Dr. Hamilton tilted her head in her direction, showing she was listening as she checked the monitors closely. Eliza carefully pulled Maggie's arm, moving her back toward the door and sitting them both in the chairs there. J'onn quickly followed, standing next to them. "Kara would have similar episodes when she first came to live with us," she explained quietly. "Too much sight, too much sound, too much everything all at once. Of course, Kara's was usually triggered by her super senses flickering on and off, but I think the same thing is happening here."

"I should have thought of this," Hamilton growled softly, her displeasure obvious. "Sensitivity to light is well known when people have been held captive inside dark rooms for even a small amount of time. Sensitivity to sound if they have been kept isolated in a quiet room." She sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "All of her senses were abruptly cut off, then just as abruptly turned back on. She's going to be sensitive to everything, at least for a while."

"At least she doesn't have super senses," Eliza said, smiling a bit at the memory. "Kara would hear birds chirping in the trees miles away when she was having her episodes." Hamilton smiled at the story as she continually checked her tablet. After a few minutes she looked up.

"Her vitals have stabilized," she said quietly.

"Thank God," Maggie said, staring at her lover carefully. She could tell Alex was still awake because she was so tense, but at least she wasn't fighting Kara anymore.

"I'll go update certain interested parties," J'onn said as he headed for the door.

"And I've got to go make a few notes in her chart," Hamilton said.

"What about the sensors?" Kara asked quietly, not stopping her rocking. She looked to the monitors the nurses had attached. Some of them had been ripped off when Alex rolled off the bed, but there were still some that were stubbornly holding on.

"I'll remove them when she's asleep," Hamilton said quietly, taking a few soft steps over to the pair. She quietly moved the IV to a portable stand and moved it closer to the pair before checking the IV site. Alex tensed even more while Hamilton was prodding her, but Kara was able to keep her sister calm. Finally satisfied, Hamilton moved back to the door, completely turning off the computer screens as she went. "Make sure she finishes that IV." Kara nodded as the doctor left the room, closing the door behind her. The room was in near total darkness, illuminated only by the soft glow of the safety lights and the light that filtered in from underneath the door and through the cracks in the blinds. The dark seemed to fit Alex though. They heard her sigh as she relaxed even more in Kara's arms. Maggie and Eliza made themselves comfortable in the chairs. Once their eyes adjusted to the dim light, they watched Alex carefully as the Danvers family continued their vigil.

* * *

"Detective Sawyer." Maggie looked up, scanning the bullpen for the familiar voice. She smiled brightly when she saw him waiting patiently by her desk.

"Tash, you old dog," she said, coming up and giving him a huge hug. He released her after a second.

"They still have you in the bullpen?" he asked, a twinkle in his eye. She looked behind her. Several officers were entering the bullpen, loudly discussing the situation they just came from with their friends.

"They did give me an office," she said, sitting down at her desk and pulling up a blank incident report, "but I rarely go there. I love the energy of the bullpen. It makes me feel alive." She quickly started typing her report.

"Unidentified alien spotted at the docks," Tash read over her shoulder as she typed. "Supergirl and DEO engaged. NCPD cordoned off two block radius. All civilians evacuated. Supergirl neutralized unidentified alien. DEO removed unidentified alien." He whistled appreciatively when she hit save. "Is that all you need to write? If we ever had an alien, the Chief would make us write a novel."

"That's the beauty of having it happen every other day," Maggie smiled at him. "Novels become redundant after a while."

"I watched it happening on the TV," he said as she added the date, time, and place to her report. "That Supergirl, she is pretty impressive."

"That she is," Maggie agreed as she finished up her paperwork before she turned to her visitor. "Is this a social visit Tash?"

"Unfortunately, no," he said, the smile dropping from his face. "This is work related. Can we go somewhere and talk privately?" She nodded and led him to her seldom used office, closing the door and shutting the blinds behind him.

"What do you need?" He sighed.

"We've got a new drug making the rounds," he started. "It's already put a dozen people in the hospital. It's only a matter of time before it puts someone in the morgue."

"That sucks," Maggie said knowingly. "How can I help?"

"We got our hands on it," he said, grabbing a briefcase that was waiting at her desk and pulling out a file, which he handed to her. "Our techs have never seen anything like it. They think it might have an alien origin. So I brought it to the best alien guru I know, at least that I'm allowed to know." Maggie smirked as she looked through the file.

"This definitely looks familiar," she said, her smirk turning into a frown. "We might have had a few cases," she said, turning on her computer and pulling up any relevant files, "but I don't remember it being particularly malignant."

"Maybe some of our guys got a hold of it and tweaked it," Tash said, as he read the files she pulled up. "I wouldn't put it past some of our psychos." Maggie nodded and spend the next few hours helping her friend. Finally, she copied all the information she thought might be relevant onto a disk and handed it to him.

"I hope you get these guys," she said genuinely, leaning back in her chair tiredly.

"I hope so too," he agreed. She smiled at him as he took a seat opposite her, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed, seeing the clock for the first time. "It's almost five. I've got to go."

"You taking bankers hours now?" He asked, the smirk firmly back on his face.

"No," she said evenly, trying to keep a stern face but not able to hold it. She burst into a big smile. "We're having a family dinner."

"Family?" Tash asked, the smirk gone from his face as he looked at her in confusion. Maggie smiled, pulling the necklace out from under her shirt. The ring dazzled brightly in the fading sun as she slipped it from the chain and put it back on her finger.

"Oh my God," Tash exclaimed, looking between her and the ring.

"I usually put it back on as soon as we come back from the scene," Maggie said, holding her hand out so he could take a better look, "but you distracted me." He took hold of her hand, examining the ring closely.

"Oh my God," he said again, picking her up in his arms and twirling her around. "Who's the lucky lady?" She was about to answer when there was a commotion in the bullpen. Excited chatter flowed into the room, though they couldn't make out what any of the officers were saying. They looked at each other before leaving the office.

"Supergirl?" Maggie said, surprised to see her. She rarely ventured into the police station.

"Detective." Kara's voice was icily cold, and she was glaring at Maggie. Maggie was worried for one second that Kara was going to use her heat vision on her. She glanced behind her and realized Tash was still holding her hand. She pulled it away quickly.

"What brings you here?" Maggie asked casually, taking a step closer to her desk. Kara's eyes followed her intently.

"These two gentlemen were caught in a home invasion," she said coldly. Maggie looked behind Kara. Two thugs were being pulled away by officers. "I was in the neighborhood, so I offered to bring them in."

"We'll need a statement from the owners," Maggie told her, starting to feel a little uncomfortable with Kara's stare. "Can you tell me the address?" Kara did, and she felt dread settle into her stomach that had nothing to do with Kara's strange behavior. "That's my apartment," she said absently as she rushed to her desk, trying to find her phone. She called Alex, left a voicemail when there was no answer, and sent her a text. When that wasn't returned, she turned to Kara with a panicked look on her face. "Alex?"

"She's fine," she said, her demeanor slightly thawing in the presence of Maggie's panic. She turned to Tash. "And who is your friend?"

"I'm Tash," he said, smiling brightly. "I'm an old friend of Maggie's. We used to work together." He held out his hand to her, which she took politely. "I must say, it is an honor to meet you. We don't get many aliens where I'm from."

"Sometimes that can be a good thing," she said, smiling at him slightly, watching Maggie as she checked her phone again and again. "Well, I need to be off." She smiled indulgently at the cops around her, and glared once more at Maggie, before flying out the open window.

"She's intense," Tash said, moving to sit down in the chair next to Maggie's desk. "From everything I've read about her, I thought she would be a bit more cheerful."

"She usually is," Maggie said, checking her phone again. She almost dropped it when it rang unexpectedly. "Alex? Oh, hi Eliza." She listened for a minute. "Are you sure everything's fine?" She closed her eyes in relief, then quickly opened them again, staring at Tash. "How did you even hear about him? Oh right." A pause then a groan. "Fine." She put the phone down and turned to her friend. "Do you have any plans tonight?"

"Not really," he told her. "Probably just an early night. Why?"

"Would you like to come to dinner with us? It's a home cooked meal and Eliza's cooking is the best." He grinned.

"I would love to," he told her.

"Yes," she said, picking up the phone again. "Okay. I'll tell him. Okay. Bye." She put her phone down and rested her head on her desk.

"Everything okay Mags?" he asked in concern, though he couldn't stop the smile.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "Ask me again tonight, if I survive the night."

"Dinner with the in-laws?" he said sympathetically. "I'm sure they're not that bad."

"Oh no, they're great," Maggie said, raising her head up to look him in the eye. "Eliza is wonderful. She's more of a mother to me than my own. She kinda already adopted me into their family. And Kara is great. A little strange sometimes, but she means well. Kara is Alex's little sister," she said, seeing the confused look on his face.

"They sound like good people," he said. She nodded. "So what's the problem?" She sighed.

"You're the first person from my past that they have ever met," she said slowly. "They can be a bit protective, Kara especially right now, and I just want everything to go well."

"I promise not to share too many embarrassing stories," he said, his smile firmly on his face again. She glared at him and he became serious. "Is there anything I need to know for tonight?"

"Yes," she said softly, pulling him back into her office and shutting the door. "Alex has been going through some things." She told him an abridged version of what was happening, breaking into tears halfway through. He held her tightly as she cried.

* * *

"Alex?" Maggie called softly as she opened the door to their apartment.

"Sorry," an unexpected voice called from the living room. Maggie frowned, hanging up her jacket before making her way in.

"Nick?" Maggie asked the crime scene tech. "What are you doing here?"

"You didn't hear about the break in?" he asked uncertainly, pointing to the broken window and the repelling equipment hanging outside it.

"Of course I did," she told him, "it's my apartment. But I thought you would have been done by now." He shrugged and watched his team work.

"While Supergirl was flying them in they admitted to the string of burglaries we've been trying to crack for the last few months." Maggie nodded, well aware of the case. She had been a consultant in case she thought it was a flying alien that had been breaking into all the penthouse suites. "Since their confession is inadmissible, the Chief wants us to go over everything here with a fine-tooth comb."

"Find anything good?" Maggie asked as she surveyed the team.

"Big time," John smiled. "I don't think they'll be able to talk their way out of this one." Maggie smiled. Getting crooks off the street always gave her a good feeling. She looked around. The techs were mainly focused in the living room, by the windows.

"Where's Alex?" John's smile fell slightly.

"We tried to be quiet for her," he said quickly, "but I guess we weren't quiet enough. When Dr. Danvers came over, she took Alex back to her place." He pointed to the kitchen counter. "She left you a note." Maggie nodded, stepping back and grabbing the piece of paper. She quickly read the short note before focusing on the tech again.

"Do you know what exactly happened?" she asked him. He nodded.

"Entry point is the window," he said, pointing across the living room, repelling gear swaying in the breeze. "He spotted Alex shortly after entering. She retreated to the back bedroom and locked the door. He was trying to get in when Supergirl intervened." Maggie nodded and closed her eyes. This was too close. Way too close.

"Are any other rooms a crime scene?" she asked. She desperately needed to see her fiancée but knew Alex would need some time away from the apartment. She had to pack a bag. He shook his head.

"We've already cleared everything else," he told her. She nodded and headed toward the bedroom, the tech followed.

"How much longer will you need?" she asked as she grabbed a bag.

"Hard to tell," he told her honestly. "Catching the perps red handed means there's so much evidence to catalog." He turned to her. "By the way, the Chief already ordered a new window. They said it will be here and ready to install in a few hours. I think we have more than enough to do until then." Maggie smiled at him. He was basically offering to stay until the new window was in.

"Thanks," Maggie said gratefully. "I think it's a good idea if we spend a few nights away from here." He nodded his agreement.

"Take all the time you need. We'll make sure everything's safe again before we let you back in."

"How was Alex?" she asked carefully. He sighed.

"We really didn't see her," he admitted, holding the bag for her while she threw in some clothes for the both of them. "She was in the closet." Maggie nodded. It had been a few weeks since Dr. Storm's latest booby trap was cured. Just like before, Alex had spent the first few days completely unresponsive to anybody, but then she slowly started to interact with people again. But she was nowhere near one hundred percent yet.

She was still extremely sensitive, especially to bright light and loud sounds. When she was overstimulated, she liked to find a quiet, dark place to cope. The closet in their bedroom was her favorite spot. More than once Maggie woke up in the middle of the night to find her there, curled up as small as she could get and gently rocking. She closed her eyes as she zipped up the bag. She wanted nothing more than to go to Alex right now. As if sensing her thought, Nick picked up the bag and headed to the kitchen.

"Hey guys," she stopped at the living room and surveyed the crime scene techs who were processing her place. Although right now it looked more like they were socializing instead of processing. "Help yourself to anything in the fridge. And thank you for staying."

"Anytime," Sara, another tech called out from across the room. "Now go get your girl." Not needing to be told twice Maggie quickly donned her jacket before grabbing the keys to her bike. Ten minutes later she was exiting the elevator at Eliza's new place. Using her key, she unlocked the door, opening it slightly and knocking gently.

"Come in," Eliza called from the kitchen. Maggie pushed open the door and entered, shutting it after her but not bothering to lock it. She headed toward Eliza, who looked slightly amused.

"I take it Kara called you?" Maggie asked, putting the bag on the couch.

"Multiple times," she told her, laughing as she turned back to the stove.

"I thought she was going to use her heat vision on me," Maggie said, helping herself to a baby carrot before Eliza poured them into the pan. "I have never seen her look so mad before."

"She's just worried about Alex," Eliza said, putting the lid on the stir fry and letting everything cook for a minute before turning to Maggie. "She saw you hugging a strange man and was worried you were going to break Alex's heart."

"I would never hurt Alex," she said immediately. "He's just an old friend that I haven't seen in a while."

"I know," Eliza assured her as she turned back to the stove. "I told Kara this. We had a very long conversation this evening. This is just the first time she has ever had to defend Alex's honor, and she didn't quite know what to do, and the only reference she had was Alex defending her. And Alex has always defended Kara aggressively." Maggie sighed.

"I'll talk to her," she promised. Eliza smiled at her. "Speaking of Alex."

"Go," Eliza said, motioning to the second bedroom. Maggie needed no further invitation. She entered as quietly as she could and didn't bother turning on the lights since there was enough ambient light to make her way to the closet. She opened the door silently and sat down next to her girlfriend, close but not quiet touching. She would leave the touching up to Alex. After a few minutes Alex moved her hand to gently cover Maggie's.

"Hey," Maggie said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hey," Alex answered a few minutes later.

"I heard you had some excitement this afternoon." Alex stayed quiet, but Maggie expected this. Alex always took an extra minute to fully form her thoughts, a habit that had only increased since Dr. Storm. After a minute Alex nodded. "I guess they picked the wrong house to rob. At least Kara was there though." It was apparently the wrong thing to say. Alex pulled her hand away and started sniffling. "I didn't mean it like that," Maggie backpedaled quickly. "We all know Alex Danvers is a complete badass and can take care of stupid thugs."

"But I didn't," Alex said hoarsely, her voice breaking with the tears that were falling freely now. "I didn't fight at all. I saw him and hid in a closet. Kara wasn't even there. I hit my button. I'm a coward."

"No, no," Maggie started repeating, inching closer to her fiancée.

"I froze and I panicked," Alex insisted. "It was just too much."

"Then you did exactly what you should have done," Maggie said, inching even closer, "something I would have done." Alex looked up at that, her tears shining faintly in the dim light.

"What?" Alex asked, her attention on her girlfriend.

"What do you think these are for?" Maggie asked, brandishing her watch and flipping the face to show the panic button, which glowed like a beacon in the dark room. "Do you think Kara would have gone to all the trouble of having Winn make them, and convincing us all to wear one, if she didn't want us to use them in emergencies?"

"It wasn't an emergency," Alex scoffed. "It was a simple home invasion. I should have kicked those guys butts and delivered them to you personally, not hidden in a closet and waited for my sister to save me."

"I'm glad you hid," Maggie said.

"Why?" Alex looked at her sharply. Maggie sighed and reached for Alex's hand. After a minute Alex grabbed it, interlocking their fingers.

"Knowing your limits and acting accordingly is the smart move," she said sincerely. "I know you hate to hear this, but you are still recovering. It would have been stupid to confront them, especially if you were overstimulated." Alex looked away but Maggie knew she was listening. "I am so very happy you took the smart option." Alex leaned over to rest her head on Maggie's shoulder. Maggie gently stroked her hair while Alex got her emotions under control.

"Thanks," she said after a while.

"Anything for you," Maggie said, grinning mischievously. "I kinda like you, you know."

"Kinda?" Alex finally smiled.

"Maybe more than kinda," Maggie said. She held her arms open, leaving the option for a hug to Alex, who readily threw herself into Maggie's arms. "This okay?" she asked cautiously, holding her as gently as possible.

"It stings a bit," Alex said. Maggie immediately tried to pull away, but Alex held her firmly in place. "A good sting."

"Dork," Maggie said, resting her head against Alex. They stayed like that until they heard the doorbell ring. "Now don't panic or anything, but an old friend of mine showed up unexpectedly today and Eliza invited him to dinner. But I don't want you to feel pressured or anything. You say the word and I'll throw him all the way back to Gotham."

"A good friend?" Alex asked, making no move to move.

"My best friend," she said, "until I met you." Alex smiled.

"I'd like to meet him," she said, "but I need a few minutes."

"Take all the time you need," Maggie said, reluctantly easing her hold on her lover. "I'll go entertain him, assuming Kara's not already started on the third degree. She saw him at the station and wasn't happy."

"Why?" Alex said, pulling back into the corner she started in. "Were you two kissing or something?"

"Hugging," Maggie said, blushing fiercely, though there was no way anyone could see it in the steadily darkening room. "I just told him I was engaged, and he was congratulating me."

"By hugging?" Alex asked, trying not to laugh.

"There might have been twirling too," Maggie admitted.

"No wonder Kara was upset," Alex said, smiling.

"Yeah," Maggie reluctantly agreed, "but I still might need your presence to keep you sister from killing him. Or me." Alex laughed as Maggie pulled herself to her feet. "Seriously though, take all the time you need, even if it's all night."

"Thank you," Alex said, squeezing Maggie's hand one last time before letting go. Maggie leaned over and ever so gently kissed her lover, glad to feel Alex respond, even slightly, before pulling away. They shared a long look before Maggie left to help entertain their guests.


	24. Chapter 24

Warnings and Disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"So, there we were, trying to keep the civilians safe and get them out of the bank while the bank robbers were donning jet packs and getting ready to fly away," Tash said later that night. Dinner had finished hours ago, and they were chatting amicably in the living room. "This was the fourth bank they hit, so we knew once they were airborne the hostages would be safe. We also knew our choppers were no match for them. The Commissioner decides it's better to let them escape and get the hostages out safely, so we're standing down. Then, as soon as they start to take off, this rookie detective rushes at them full speed. She grabs onto the last guy's boots with one hand, in her other hand is a dye pack, which she proceeds to shove into the jet pack. Of course, the jet pack can't handle the weight of two people, so it crashes back into the bank, but before they crash that dye pack explodes. Everything within fifty feet is covered with blue dye, including our poor bank robber, who is completely stunned at this point, and one crazy detective."

"What?" Kara asks, shooting an amused look towards Maggie. "It exploded in her face."

"Yep," Tash nods. "Quite literally."

"That's an exaggeration," Maggie defended herself, not even trying to fight the blush that was on her face. Kara grinned at her before giving Tash her complete attention.

"There's still a blue spot on the marble Mags," he countered before turning back to his audience. "Anyway, they crash back down, covered head to toe in blue dye. The bank robber is out of it, but Maggie managed to see where the jet pack was going before it crashed. She orders a team to follow her. She walks right up to the thieves' hideout and demand they surrender. The rest of the gang was so bewildered at the Smurf calling them out that they didn't even realize the police had them surrounded. SWAT came, and we were able to get the gang without a single shot being fired."

"What on Earth possessed you to do that?" Eliza asked, trying to hide the grin on her face, while Kara was openly laughing quietly besides her. Maggie shrugged.

"I was fine with them robbing banks, but they took it a step too far when they made people give them their jewelry, including the wedding bands of this cute little elderly couple that had been married over fifty years. I couldn't let that go."

"What other stories can you tell?" Kara asked eagerly. Tash started another story, causing Maggie to duck her head in embarrassment while she secretly surveyed the scene. Kara and Eliza were enjoying the embarrassing stories, but it was Alex who kept catching her eye. Alex who had a smile on her face for the first time since Storm's latest trap was countered. Alex who finally had a small amount of light back in her eyes. Maggie could endure every embarrassing story of her if it helped Alex come back to them.

She quietly thought about their dinner as Tash told yet another story of her misadventures in Gotham. Kara had joined them while she was still in the closet with Alex. Much to her delight, the younger Danvers had lost the cold attitude she initially had, and they were chatting quite contentedly when Maggie finally joined them. Then, when Alex joined them, Tash couldn't have been more of a gentleman.

Maggie had filled him in on the basics of Alex's condition, so he was careful to not move to fast or talk to loud. Maggie loved him even more because of it, especially when Alex started to respond to him. The dinner was amazing, and the company was miraculous. Even now, after dinner was over and they were sharing stories while sipping wine, Tash was careful to not raise his voice to loud or get to rambunctious.

"And then there was the time she went undercover as a stripper," Tash said, bringing her out of her musings.

"Oh God no," Maggie said, blushing even more, but smiling when Alex glanced her way. "You promised you would never, ever tell that story."

"To anyone in Gotham," he nodded. "Luckily, we're not in Gotham." He turned back to Kara. "So, we were trying to take down this psycho, but no matter what we tried we couldn't get anybody in his inner circle. That's when Mags has this bright idea to start on the outside and worm her way in. The only problem was, the only opening we could get was the strip club. The really funny part was we couldn't get anyone else in with Maggie, so she was on her own. The only time I could see her was during business hours. I became her biggest fan. Never missed a night or a show. I saw more of her than I ever wanted too."

"In my defense," Maggie started, completely red, "I was in character."

"Yes," Tash agreed. "Many, many characters." Alex laughed out loud alongside Kara and Eliza and Maggie thought the entire embarrassing night was worth it. Finally, the laughter died down and Tash looked at his watch. "I didn't realize it was so late. I really should be going." He got to his feet and gently hugged Kara and Eliza. He turned to Alex and offered her his hand, which she hesitantly took. He raised it to his lips and kissed it before releasing it with a quick bow. "It has been an honor and a privilege to meet you all." He turned to Maggie.

"Let me show you out." He nodded and followed her from the room. They stayed silent while they rode the elevator down to the ground level. It wasn't until they were outside, in the busy street, that he turned toward her.

"Alex seems like an amazing woman," he told her sincerely.

"She is," Maggie agreed.

"I hope I did okay in there," he said, a hint of worry in his tone. "I tried to be cognizant of her mood and tread carefully." Maggie smiled at him.

"You did amazing. Tonight was the first time Alex has smiled in months. And you did that for her." He grinned as he started walking down the street.

"I'm glad I could help," he told her sincerely. They stopped a few feet from the door. "So, when is the wedding?"

"We haven't gotten that far yet," Maggie admitted, her eyes filling with tears. "She asked, then everything started happening, and I don't want to stress her out with planning a wedding right now. I just want to enjoy her."

"You will," he told her, "and whatever is happening, you two can beat it. Just promise me one thing?" Maggie looked at him inquisitively. "When you get around to setting a date, you sure as hell better be sending me an invitation."

"Absolutely," Maggie said, launching herself into his arms and hugging him tightly as she cried. He held on just as tight until they reluctantly pulled away. He hailed a cab and just before he closed the door he looked at her.

"I am so proud of you Maggie," he told her before closing the door. Maggie smiled as she watched him drive away. Maggie stood there for a few minutes, getting her emotions back under control before returning to Eliza's apartment. She was unsurprised to find Eliza and Kara waiting up for her but was very surprised to see Alex with them.

"So," Kara started with a teasing smile, "he seems very nice." Maggie rolled her eyes.

"Okay," she said, helping herself to some more wine before sitting down next to Alex. Alex surprised her when she reached for her hand. Maggie smiled at her before gently holding it while she turned back to the other women. "You know when I came out to my parents it was a disaster." Kara nodded, the levity all but falling off of her face, but Maggie just shrugged it off. "My parents kicked me out and my aunt took me in. Now, my aunt was the kind of woman who never wanted kids. When she took me in, she tried her best, but I was essentially raising myself at that point. She was proud of me and supported me, but I never felt any parental affection from her. At the time I was so angry at my parents that I thought I didn't need any parental love, that the friendship my aunt readily gave me was enough. And, for a while, it was enough.

"I graduated High School and was accepted into the Gotham Police Academy, where I spent the next few years working the streets. All my hard work paid off and I made Detective, and the first partner I get was this old fogey, who reminded me so much of my father that I put up so many walls between us so I wouldn't give him the chance to hurt me. And he proceeded to bulldoze through each and every one of them. He became the father that I wished I had, my mentor, my friend, my everything. He helped me become the cop I am today. And even when I moved onto bigger and better things, he was still the first person I called whenever I had a tough day and needed a friendly voice. Until I met you," she added, smiling at Alex.

"I'm glad you met him," Alex told her. "I'm glad you had somebody." Maggie nodded, yawning loudly.

"It looks like it's past somebody's bedtime," Eliza said, quickly gathering up the wine glasses. Kara nodded firmly.

"I thought we would spend a couple nights here," Maggie told Alex, shooting a look Eliza's way. It just occurred to her she never asked Eliza, but the older woman nodded approvingly, while Alex just looked resigned. "You did the right thing," Maggie again reassured her. "We just need a day or two to make sure everything is safe and secure again. Then it's right back to our home."

"Okay," Alex finally reluctantly agreed, getting to her feet slowly. "You go ahead to bed. I just want to take a hot bath and relax for a bit."

"Okay," Maggie echoed, as she gently placed a kiss on her fiancée's lips. Alex eagerly returned it and they found themselves unexpectedly making out. Until someone cleared their throat nearby. Maggie reluctantly pulled away. They were both breathing heavily, and Maggie wasn't sure if they would have stopped on their own. She looked into Alex's dark, lust filled eyes before forcing herself to stand up. "Enjoy your bath," she said as she headed toward the second bedroom. A minute later Alex headed into the bathroom. Kara and Eliza shared a look before wishing both women a goodnight and heading their separate ways.

As tired as she was, Maggie couldn't sleep until Alex crawled into the bed an hour later. They had both calmed their raging hormones down and did nothing more than hold each other as they fell asleep. Which was why it was such a shock when Alex screamed a couple of hours later, flinging herself off the bed and into the closet while she was still half asleep, trembling as the remnants of the nightmare slowly faded. Maggie jerked upright, her hand reaching automatically for the gun that wasn't there. A few seconds later Eliza ran into the room. A second after that Kara, in her Supergirl outfit, came flying through the open window.

The three of them calmed down slightly when they realized Alex was just having a nightmare. Maggie reached for her lover but pulled away when Alex flinched from her touch. Kara glanced at her as she slowly entered the closet. "It's okay. It's okay. I've got you. I'm here," she quietly muttered over and over again until she had her arms around Alex. Alex leaned against her sister, Kara's quiet ministrations quickly sending her sister back into a deep sleep. Maggie and Eliza shared a knowing look before each of them returned to their respective beds. Alex was in good hands that night.

* * *

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Alex resisted the impulse to roll her eyes and instead looked over at her fiancée. Maggie was alternating between her and the road.

"I'm fine Mags," Alex promised, but Maggie just frowned.

"It's okay if you're not ready," she said, repeating the same argument she used when Alex made the announcement that she was heading back to the Bunker. "J'onn said you shouldn't push yourself. We both know you still have episodes."

"Which I will never overcome if I don't leave the apartment," Alex countered. "It's been a month. Hamilton cleared me for this, and I still have a group of recruits that I need to terrorize." Maggie smiled despite herself as she returned her attention to the road as the Bunker finally came into view. She quickly pulled into their customary spot before turning off the engine and looking to her girlfriend.

"They've been without you for a couple months now," Maggie tried again to get Alex to stay, but it was apparently the wrong thing to say. Alex hung her head, eyes studying her lap intently. "Shit," Maggie cursed, reaching for her lover. Alex looked up at the unexpected contact. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know," Alex told her, "and it's true. I know they don't need me, most of them probably don't even want to see me, but I need to see this through. I need to finish this. And I need you to understand that."

"I do," Maggie assured her, a tear falling from her eye. Alex reached up and wiped it away. "What I meant is you'll have to work twice as hard to make them fear you." Alex smiled.

"If I did my job right, they should already fear me."

"Then let's go see how well you did your job," Maggie said, opening her door. Alex quickly followed but barely made it out of the car before she was lifted off her feet.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again," Dontay said, holding her tightly to his chest.

"Sorry," Alex whispered. He squeezed tightly before gently lowering her to the ground. Eddy was there a second later, swooping her up in a giant bear hug. A couple minutes later he released her, and they were able to move out of the parking lot. "So what's our status?" she asked as they moved toward her lab.

"Morale has been pretty down since one of our best agents was compromised," Eddy said. Alex glared at him.

"I meant with the recruits," she said, opening the door to her lab and ushering everybody inside. Eddy just grinned and turned to Dontay.

"I've been following your gameplan," he told her. "We lost a couple more once we got into the 'what aliens can do to you' classes. We're down to seven. Four human, three alien."

"Seventy percent attrition," Alex said, "what we expected. Do you think they have what it takes?" Dontay nodded.

"I do," he said, sliding seven folders to her. "I have them paired up with agents to get a general feel of what happens while we gear up for survival week, which by the way, Hamilton has banned you from in any way, shape, or form."

"She ruins all my fun," Alex said, reading the names on the files.

"I think that's my cue to leave," Maggie said, moving over and hugging Alex from behind. Alex closed her eyes, melting into the embrace. "Now remember, I'm on call every night this week, but if nothing comes up I'll be here to pick you up at eight. And if I am called away, Kara will be here. And if she's called away, Eliza will come get you. And if she can't make it, J'onn will send an agent to pick you up." This time Alex couldn't stop her eye roll.

"Yes mom," she said, sarcasm dripping out of her mouth. She turned so she was facing her fiancée. "You know, I can just stay here. I've done it before."

"Only if I stay with you," Maggie said, leaning in for a kiss. "I'm not letting you out of my sight for one second more than I need to."

"You going soft on me Sawyer?" Alex asked, her cocky grin firmly in place.

"Only for you," she answered, leaning in for another kiss until the timer on her phone went off. They glared at the offending object before reluctantly pulling away.

"I'll walk you out," Eddy offered, "leave these two lunatics to their evil, recruit scaring schemes." Maggie smiled.

"Thanks," she said, reluctantly pulling away. They backtracked to the door, unsurprised to see Alex and Dontay already talking about their recruits. Maggie smiled and quietly closed the door behind her.

"How is she really?" Eddy asked as he walked her to her car. "J'onn said she was still having some difficulties."

"She still has some episodes where she gets overwhelmed," Maggie admitted, "usually brought on by nightmares, which is why we are trying to get her home every night." Eddy nodded. Maggie suddenly stopped and faced him. "Is he still here?"

"Yes," he replied, not needing to hear who he was. "Director J'onzz and Director Lane gave us very explicit instructions regarding him. Rest assured they will never meet. They will never even be on the same level."

"Good," Maggie said as she started walking again. The rest of the trip was made in silence. They reached the car and as Maggie opened the driver's door she turned to Eddy. "Promise me you'll watch out for her. She's my whole world and I don't know what I would do if I lost her." He nodded.

"You'll never need to find out." She smiled at him before climbing into the car and driving off. He watched as she slowly disappeared from sight.

* * *

"Hey." Alex looked up at the timid voice. She smiled when she saw her visitor.

"Winn," she stood up, giving him a quick hug before gesturing him into the lab. "What are you still doing here?"

"You're still here," he said simply, causing her to frown.

"You're still my babysitter?"

"Yes," he started, to stop short at her glare. "I mean no. But while I'm here I am."

"Winn," Alex sighed. "Try it again, from the beginning". Winn sighed.

"When you collapsed," he cowered under her glare. She hated being reminded about her condition. "I mean, when the last trap activated, and you were… you know." She took a threatening step towards him and he swallowed. "Dontay let me stay with the class. And while they were watching videos of agents getting their asses kicked by aliens, which is incredibly boring after you've lived with it for a while, he would take me down and work on my hand to hand skills. Eventually the class took me on as sort of a project. They've been helping me get better, especially when I'm waiting for parts."

"Waiting for parts?" Alex asked. Winn frowned.

"You didn't think I was here just because you were, did you?" She glared at him and he sunk down into his chair. "Okay, I might have coordinated with J'onn to be on site when you started up again. We actually thought you would demand to be back sooner. I've been here a week already."

"Winn," Alex warned, leveling him with her best glare. It worked. He rolled his chair slowly toward the door. "What project?"

"Oh," he said, relieved. "The computer upgrades. Did you know that they're using the same setup as they did when I first helped out here?"

"That was only three years ago," Alex said.

"Only?" Winn was taken back. "Do you know how long that is in computer years?" Alex rolled her eyes and turned back to her own work as Winn continued. "A computer is basically obsolete after three months and software updates can only do so much. That is why that alien was able to infect the system here so easily. My grandmother could hack this thing with one hand tied behind her back."

"I'm sure that's an exaggeration," Alex said.

"Okay, yes," Winn agreed, "but the system did need to be upgraded and J'onn assigned the project to me. And while I'm here, I did agree to keep an eye on you for certain interested parties." Alex sighed and turned to him. Winn was watching her cautiously.

"Fine," Alex agreed, causing Winn to exhale loudly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not with that," Winn said. "I am literally waiting for parts. And even when they do come in, there's not much you can do to help me. It's not like we'll be overrun with White Martians while I do the upgrades." He laughed then looked around nervously. "I just jinxed it, didn't I?"

"I doubt it," she told him, "but if we are, I will come defend you." He smiled. "So what did you need help with?"

"Can you keep teaching me to fight?" he asked timidly. "Dontay and the rest tried, but they're not you. Even now, I know I can shine a bright light in your eye and screech like a girl and probably distract you long enough to get away, and you still scare the shit out of me."

"Since you put it so nicely," Alex said, glaring at him again. "What did Dontay and the recruits teach you?"

"The same stuff you were," he told her. "Basic defense and hand to hand. They even took me to the firing range a few times. I was even able to hit it once."

"The target?" Alex asked.

"The paper that the target is on," Winn corrected, smiling sheepishly. "Shooting is definitely not my thing."

"But it can come in handy in an emergency," Alex told him. "I can work on that too if you want. I have plenty of time right now."

"Yeah, the group said they were just teaming up with an agent right now and in two weeks they're going for survival training?" Alex nodded. "Everybody's stoked about it. What is it exactly."

"We drop them off in the middle of nowhere," Alex told him, "and come back for whatever's left of them two weeks later. I can get you in if you really want to try it."

"Two weeks without WiFi?" Winn asked as if they asked him to stop breathing. "Pass."

"Wise choice," Alex said as she finished her work and made her way out of her lab. "Now I've got to go see Dr. Kim."

"And I've got to go reroute some sewage lines to access the mainframe," Winn said as he followed her out. "Hey. Maybe there is something you can help me with."

"No," she shook her head, speeding up and leaving him in the dust as she made her way to the Med bay. "Dr. Kim," she greeted as she stepped in.

"Usually agents report here first," he said, never taking his eyes off the unusually thick folder he was reading. She glanced at the folder and swallowed when she realized it was her own. "And then return to work."

"I was intending to see you first," Alex started, "but Director Eddy and Dontay waylaid me before I could get here."

"Fortunately for me, Dr. Hamilton sent over something to keep me occupied until you showed up. Interesting reading." He shut the folder and looked up at her. "I am so very glad you were strong enough to survive that."

"Thanks Doc," she said, helping herself to one of the chairs. "So, Dr. Hamilton didn't think we needed to change our game plan."

"I know," he told her, motioning her onto one of the beds. "Dr. Hamilton and I have spoken extensively about your care, Agent Danvers." He pulled out his stethoscope. "Breath deep." He did a quick exam, exactly like the one Dr. Hamilton did before she signed off on Alex working again. "How are the headaches?" he asked as he wrote in her chart.

"Mostly the same," she shrugged. "Sometimes better, sometimes worse." He nodded.

"Any more nosebleeds?" She shook her head. He raised an eyebrow. She sighed.

"Maggie said I was getting small ones nearly every night at first," she admitted reluctantly, "but I don't remember. But those first few days are still a giant blur."

"That's to be expected," he told her. "Any more episodes?"

"Sometimes," she reluctantly admitted. She seriously thought about lying but knew Maggie and Kara had already discussed these things with Dr. Hamilton, who had obviously forwarded Dr. Kim the information. "Lately it's been at night, when I'm caught between sleep and awareness." Kim nodded. "It's been weeks since I've had an episode during the day." She held her head in shame as she thought again how she hid in a closet and waited for her sister to come save her.

"This is all perfectly understandable, given what you've been through," he told her as he finished writing and put her chart off to the side. "Now for the bad news. Given the latest attack, Dr. Hamilton and I are worried about any latent psychological problems. I recommended a full psychological evaluation before you were cleared for duty, however Dr. Hamilton doesn't feel that is necessary. We have agreed to bi-weekly sessions at the National City DEO. Dr. Wales is expecting your call."

"Of course," Alex said unemotionally. Logically she knew she wasn't completely over what had happened to her. What was still happening to her. She had been worried they would put her through the full psych evaluation. Bi-weekly sessions was just about the best she could hope for at this point. "I will call him as soon as we are done." He nodded.

"Then I guess we are done," he said, getting to his feet. She followed him. "I just want to say how happy I am to see you." She smiled at him. "Now get back to work."

"Thanks Doc," she said before she practically ran from the room.


	25. Chapter 25

AN: A final chapter count of 36, so it should be completely posted in a week or so. Thanks to everyone for reviewing, following, and favoriting. You guys rock.

Warnings and Disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"You need to plant your feet," Alex growled as Winn lunged at her again. She easily blocked the wild punch before lightly jabbing him in the shoulder. At least she intended for it to be a light tap, but it was enough to send him to the mat.

"You never plant your feet," Winn complained, slowly getting to his feet and resuming his fighting stance. "You're always twirling and kicking and jumping."

"And we're much more experienced," a third voice interrupted. Winn dropped his fighting stance and turned.

"James," he greeted, moving to fist bump his friend. "What brings you by?"

"Dontay wanted me to come and give a little pep talk to the group," James explained. "It seems their trainer collapsed a while ago and they're a little down." Alex snorted.

"They hate me," she said, reaching for a water bottle and handing another to Winn. "I doubt they shed any tears over me."

"You're wrong Alex," James said, coming more firmly into the room. "They might have hated you at the time when you were kicking their collective asses, but you won their respect. They're just not sure how they can show it."

"And Dontay thought Guardian could help?" Alex asked, gesturing to James's outfit. He shrugged.

"He asked Guardian to step in when you collapsed. You know, help with the physical side of training, and I just sort of hit it off with the group. They needed someone larger than life to fill your shoes, and Guardian did it." Alex nodded and smiled in gratitude.

"So the recruits get off okay?" she asked as she resumed her fighting stance. Winn groaned but followed suit. James nodded.

"A quick pep talk and they loaded up as excited as a Boy Scout troupe," James told her. He checked his watch. "They should be nearing the jump coordinates now."

"Jump?" Winn asked, momentarily distracted. Alex took advantage of his distraction and quickly brought him down. "Owe," he complained after she swept his legs out from under him. James smirked.

"You got to move your feet," he said, reaching out and offering the computer tech a hand up.

"But she said to plant my feet," he said, frowning in confusion. "Which is it?"

"Both," Alex said, resuming her fighting stance. "You have to dance so your opponent doesn't get an easy shot." She started sparring with James.

"Assume anytime they get a hit in its gonna hurt," James added as Alex threw a few punches. He easily dodged them. "If you're gonna hurt, you gotta make them work for it. Otherwise you might as well just lay down and take it."

"But when you get your opening," Alex continued, "You need as much power behind your punch as you can get. You get your power by planting your feet." She looked at James, who nodded and stopped dancing. She threw the punch slowly, so Winn could see exactly what she was talking about. James could have easily blocked or dodged, but he took the hit, staggering back a few steps while Alex maintained her follow through pose.

"See," James said, pointing at her stance. "No dancing. Her feet are planted nice and wide, letting all the force flow through her arms."

"I'm never gonna figure this out," Winn sighed dejectedly. "This is like advanced fighting or something."

"You'll get there," Alex encouraged, coming over and resting a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll help every step of the way," James added, standing next to his friend. "Let's go again." They nodded, but before they could start again Alex's phone dinged. She grabbed the phone.

"It's an alert from one of my projects," she said, frowning slightly. "I need to go check something in my lab."

"Go ahead," James said, assuming his attacking stance. "I've got this." Alex nodded and left, leaving the two boys to their antics. They started sparring, not noticing the time fly by until Winn got a text on his phone.

"Kara," he said as they sat down, breathing heavily, not bothering to read the message but stopping at the sender. "Oh shit. I completely spaced the time. We are so late for game night."

"What?" James asked, checking his own phone while Winn sent a quick message to Kara. "Come on," he said, "we can clean up really quick and I can give you a ride back on the bike. It's a little faster than cars."

"Kay," Winn nodded, following James to the locker room and then towards the parking lot. They both frowned when the bike was gone. "Did you park somewhere else?"

"No," he shook his head. "It was here. It's always here." James looked around in frustration before moving toward the guard shack. He rapped on the window.

"Mr. Olsen?" the guard asked in confusion. "I thought you left over an hour ago."

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"I saw you leave on your motorcycle," the guard told him. "About an hour ago. I waved you out myself."

"What?" James asked again while Winn scooted around to the guard's computer. He quickly typed in a command and they were soon watching the recorded security feed. "There." Winn slowed the footage and they watched as someone dressed all in black started the bike and drove away. Winn managed to follow the bike for a few more seconds until it roared out of range.

"Whoever they were, they kept the helmet on and visor down," the guard said, pulling up additional cameras to try and get an image of the intruder. "We have no face."

"But they still had to use a card reader to open that door," Winn said, typing furiously. The guard nodded but didn't stop his search. "And the person who opened that door was… Alex?" He looked to James questioningly. James quickly turned around and ran back toward the Bunker, Winn close behind, while the guard made a call. They arrived at Alex's lab in minutes.

"She's not here," Dontay said. He was already there, looking over the pristine lab. "Eddy is checking her quarters, and I've sent someone to check med bay or the commissary. I've even sent someone to check on her father's cell. So far, nothing."

"Do you think she was abducted?" James asked, mentally going over the list of people who would like to harm Alex. At that minute Winn's phone rang.

"Kara," he said distractedly as he turned on Alex's computer and started typing. "I'm sorry about game night, but something has come up." He listened. "How did I hear about what? How did you hear?" He stopped typing and turned pale. "What?" he whispered. He looked to James, the phone slipping out of his hand. "Edith is dead." There was a shocked silence before James grabbed the phone, turning on the speaker.

"Kara," he said gently.

"She's dead James," Kara said, her voice thick with tears. "Eliza and Lena are trying to figure out what happened, but she's dead. That little girl is dead."

"When did she die?" James asked seriously.

"We got the call about an hour ago," Kara said, her voice sounding much less cheerful before turning deadly serious. "Are you still at the Bunker? Whatever you do, don't tell Alex."

"I think she already knows," James said as Winn started typing furiously.

"What?" Kara demanded. They heard a whoosh and knew Kara had taken flight. "Where is she?"

"We're not sure," James admitted, just as the agents looking for Alex came back. They shook their heads.

"I'm on my way," Kara said. A few minutes later she was stomping into Alex's lab. "What happened? Where is Alex?"

"I don't know," Winn reluctantly admitted, never stopping typing.

"She's not on the base," James said, grabbing Kara's arms to stop the hero from rushing off. "We've searched everywhere." He shared a quick look with Winn, who gave him a tight grimace. "We think she took off on my bike."

"What?" Kara inhaled quickly. Motorcycles were definitely on Alex's list of unauthorized activities. "Use her tracker."

"I've tried," Winn reluctantly admitted. "She somehow found a way to disable it. I have no idea how."

"Can you track the bike?" Kara asked. Winn shook his head.

"I was able to track it as far as the city," he told her, "but then it got lost in the crowd." Kara nodded and called Maggie to update her on the situation. They could hear Maggie's shouts even though the phone wasn't on speaker. After a minute Kara hung up.

"Maggie and J'onn are going to start looking for her in the city." She put down her phone and looked at them, the worry clear to see. "What exactly happened? Was she being coerced? Is it another trap?" James sighed.

"We were sparring with Winn and she got a message. Said she needed to check something in her lab. About five minutes later she took my bike and left. That was the last we saw of her."

"This has to be about Edith's death," Kara mumbled, turning to Dontay. "Dr. Storm wasn't notified, was he?" Dontay shook his head.

"J'onn's orders were very specific in the event Edith died," he told them. "In no way are we to let him know of his daughter's death. Eddy is even in there for their weekly chess match so he doesn't get suspicious.

"So how did she find out?" Kara asked, growling in confusion and helplessness.

"She was alerted," Winn said, frowning at whatever he was reading. They both looked over his shoulder, but they couldn't follow any of the computer code. "But how?" His eyes suddenly got big and he quickly opened a second window. "Oh God. She hacked me."

"Winn?" Kara said threateningly, but he was already typing.

"The bio monitor," he said. "Alex is still wearing it. It has very basic privacy measures now, nothing like what it will need when it hits the market, or even for its real-world testing phase. It's the first prototype so I didn't think anything of it, but I just realized it wasn't the first. Edith was wearing one too. Alex must have figured out a way to be alerted to changes in Edith's condition. How did she manage that?"

"I don't care how she managed," Kara said sharply. "If the tracker isn't working, can you track her through her bio monitor."

"Already on it," he said, only to frown. "How did she manage to do that?"

"What?" James and Kara asked at the same time.

"She turned the WiFi off on it," he said, looking up briefly.

"She turned it off?" James asked. Winn shook his head.

"No, it's still on and recording, but it's not transmitting anything. And until it starts transmitting again I can't use it to find her."

"Can you turn it on remotely?" James asked hopefully. Winn shook his head.

"I guess were back to searching the city," Kara said. "I'm going to update Maggie then start searching." Winn nodded.

"I'm going to keep searching through the traffic cams," he told her. "We might get lucky."

"I'll help you guys search," James added, "that is, if you don't mind giving me a ride back to town so I can pick up my car." Kara nodded and reached for his hand. She picked him up and ran through the halls and outside in less than a second. A second later she was airborne.

"You okay?" Kara asked when James groaned.

"Fine," he told her, trying to calm his stomach down. "You've just never gone this fast before."

"It's Alex," Kara said simply. James could only nod his head. A few minutes later they were touching down at Alex and Maggie's apartment. Kara gently set James on his feet and flew off again.

"Anything I can do to help?" James offered as soon as Kara let go. Maggie shook her head.

"I've put an APB out on your bike," she told him. "Hopefully one of the officers will see it and call it in. Kara and J'onn are searching from the skies, and there's about a dozen volunteers from the DEO hitting the streets. And Vasquez is combing through any video she can get her hands on."

"Winn too," James said, stepping toward her. "We'll find her." He pulled her into a gently hug.

"And then what?" Maggie asked, breaking down in his strong arms. "I don't know if I want to throttle her or hold her and never let go."

"That's tomorrows problem," James told her gently. "For tonight, we just need to find her."

"Right," Maggie said, as she pulled away. "I guess we should go join the search." James nodded and followed her out of the room.

* * *

"Damnit Danvers," Maggie cursed as they hit another dead end. James looked over to her worriedly, but wisely remained silent. "Let's try Catco."

"Catco?" James asked even as he turned the car onto the right street. "Catco is more Kara's thing."

"We've tried all of Alex's places," Maggie said. James nodded and drove the car silently. A red and blue blur in the sky showed Kara swooping away, searching the city in her own way. But Maggie couldn't search the same way Kara did. She couldn't fly over the city at close to the speed of sound, listening for a single heartbeat in a city of over a million people. She had to look the old-fashioned way, by physically looking. She left the searching to the DEO teams and instead focused on the places that meant something to Alex. Meant something to both of them.

"Detective Sawyer," a voice suddenly came over the radio in her police cruiser. She grabbed the intercom while James looked hopeful.

"Go ahead," Maggie said, pushing the button harder than she needed too.

"A patrol unit spotted that bike you put the APB on," the dispatcher told her. Maggie closed her eyes.

"Address?" she asked, voice thick with relief. The dispatcher quickly named a street in the bad part of town. James quickly changed direction. "I'm on my way."

"Do you need assistance?" the dispatcher asked.

"Negative," Maggie said. "I've got it covered. Cancel the APB."

"Roger. Good luck." Maggie closed her eyes tightly before replacing the intercom.

"It's okay," James repeated over and over. "We'll find her."

"What is she doing in this part of town?" Maggie asked as her cruiser neared the destination. Minutes later they pulled to a stop next to the bike. It was lying on its side, the keys still in the ignition. It was a miracle it wasn't stolen. James quickly righted the bike.

"No blood," he said, pointing a flashlight around the bike. "No sign it was in an accident. It looks like she just left it here."

"But why?" Maggie asked, looking around desperately. This was a favorite area for the city's drug dealers. It was an intersection of many of the main alleyways for the neighboring businesses, which gave plenty of ways to escape. "Nobody comes here unless they're looking to score."

"But Alex's drug of choice is alcohol," James said in confusion.

"Of course," Maggie said, hitting herself in the head for being stupid. "How many bars are in walking distance of this point?"

"A lot," James finished for her. He took a second to pocket the keys of his bike then turned to Maggie. "You take east. I'll start with west." Maggie nodded, and they went their separate ways. It wasn't until she checked her fifth bar that Maggie found her. Alex had commandeered a small booth in the very back corner. She watched as Alex downed a shot then promptly filled up her glass. Maggie's relief was slowly morphing into fury. She quickly sent out a message to James before stepping into the bar.

"Hey pretty lady," a drunk man slurred, trying to hit on her. "How about I buy you a beer?" His friends started grinning.

"I'm here for a lady," Maggie said, having no patience for this tonight. She pulled her leather jacket to the side far enough for the drunk to get a look at her badge and her gun before covering up again. "But I can be here for you instead." The drunk man stared at her as if trying to figure out what she was saying, but luckily for him, his friends pulled him away. Maggie stalked past them.

"We don't want any trouble," the bartender said as Maggie approached.

"Me neither," Maggie said sincerely. She pointed to Alex. "How long has she been here?"

"Couple of hours," he told her, glancing toward the back booth. "But this isn't her first bar. I could tell she had a few before she made it here. I was going to cut her off, but she can hold her liquor. Better than most of my patrons." He looked to the drunk man and his friends, who had started the jukebox and were singing very badly with the song.

"She is officially cut off," Maggie told him. He nodded. She passed over her card to settle the bill then made her way to Alex. "What the hell do you think you're doing Danvers?"

"Mourning," Alex said, her voice surprisingly steady. She held the shot up. "To death." She downed the shot before Maggie could stop her. She went to pour another one, but Maggie pulled the glass from her hands. Alex just shrugged and drank from the bottle.

"Stop!" Maggie ordered, pulling the nearly empty bottle out of Alex's hand.

"Right," Alex agreed. She looked at the bartender. "Another bottle."

"No," Maggie said sternly. "You shouldn't even be drinking. You are on some serious meds that don't interact well with alcohol. Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"I don't need to try," Alex said, swiping the bottle back and taking a swig. Maggie took a step back, trying to curb the anger that she felt towards her fiancée at the moment. Right then James entered, scanning the bar for a second before spotting them and heading over. She met him halfway, never taking her eyes off Alex.

"Everything okay?" he asked quietly. Maggie sighed.

"As okay as it can be," she said wearily. He squeezed her arm.

"I can stay," he offered. She shook her head. He nodded knowingly. "I told everyone we found her. J'onn called off the search, but Kara's probably already on her way over." Maggie sighed but nodded. There was no way the younger Danvers was going to leave her sister right now.

"At least I won't have to carry her ass home," Maggie said, trying to make a joke but falling short. Her forced smile fell from her face as she thought about Alex. James smiled sadly.

"If you need anything," he offered, pressing the keys to her cruiser into her hands.

"Thanks," she gave him a small, but genuine, smile as she turned back to Alex. She settled herself into the booth across from Alex. Alex ignored her, instead focusing on the whiskey bottle she was cradling. She drained the rest of the liquor in one gulp.

"Another!" she yelled to the bartender. He just shook his head at her and turned to help other patrons. "Did he just cut me off?" Alex asked, focusing on Maggie for the first time.

"On my order," Maggie said tiredly. "Alex, what are you doing?"

"Edith is dead," Alex said somberly.

"I know," Maggie said, emotionally drained at this point, "and it's sad and tragic. But, babe, you've never even seen her. Why are you mourning someone you don't even know?"

"Mourning Edith?" Alex asked, laughing slightly. "Oh Mags. You've got it all wrong. I'm not mourning Edith. I'm mourning myself."

"What?" Maggie asked, not sure where that came from.

"Don't you see Mags," Alex started. "The only reason I'm still alive was because Edith was. Now that she's dead, Storm won't help us. So, in a way, I'm just as dead as she is."

"You don't know that," Maggie said.

"Yes, I do," Alex countered, reaching over and holding Maggie's hand gently. "You're just in denial, but I've come to terms with my death."

"You're being overly pessimistic," Maggie told her. Alex shook her head.

"I'm being a realist," she said simply.

"So, you're just going to give up?" Maggie asked, feeling her anger reignite. "You're not even going to fight?"

"Of course I'm going to fight," Alex said, "but I've had two of his traps triggered already. I know I won't survive the third. Not without him to cure it, and we both know he's not going to help now. And I know what it's like, being close to death because of him. There's no reprieve, no last-minute hurrahs. If I'm lucky, I'll be unconscious when the time comes, or drugged up so much that I don't notice anything. So yes, I am mourning my life now, while I can still remember who I am." She slammed the empty bottle down on the table and got to her feet. Maggie, who was shocked at the words coming out of her lover's mouth, was a bit slow to follow her. She watched as Alex stumbled and started to fall, to shocked to move.

"Woah." Kara emerged from nowhere and grabbed her sister around the waist, keeping her upright. It was enough to get Maggie moving.

"Let's go," she said, sparing a quick look at her passed-out fiancée before marching past and out of the bar. Kara followed behind her, basically carrying her sister. In a few minutes they were at her car. She opened the doors, helping Kara maneuver Alex into the backseat. As she climbed into the driver's side, she glanced at Kara's tear stained face.

"How much did you hear?" she asked, starting the car but leaving it in park for the moment.

"All of it," Kara told her. "Is it true? Is she going to die?"

"I don't know," Maggie admitted, letting herself be vulnerable for the first time that night. "All I know is I'm gonna fight like hell for her, whether she wants me to or not." Kara nodded as she pulled her sister closer. Maggie put the car in gear and drove home, a newfound determination coursing through her veins. She wouldn't lose Alex. Not even to Alex.


	26. Chapter 26

Warnings and Disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

Alex groaned as the bright sunlight hit her eyes. She threw her arm over her eyes to protect them as she carefully opened them slowly. A pill bottle rattled next to her and she turned her head, squinting in the daylight.

"This is all the sympathy you're going to get from me," Maggie said, rattling the bottle of aspirin again. Alex sighed, not even reaching for the pills.

"I know you're upset," she started, only to be cut off by Maggie.

"Upset?" she asked angrily. "When I've calmed down enough to be simply upset I'll let you know." She slammed the bottle on the nightstand and stormed out of the room.

"Maggie," Alex tried, but she knew better than to rush after her right now. She needed to give her fiancée time to cool down. Plus, she didn't think rushing anywhere would be in her best interests right now. Especially since the room started to tilt when she tried to sit up.

"I should be furious with you." Alex jumped at the unexpected voice, which only caused her headache to increase. She reached over, ignoring the pills and instead focusing on the water. When the glass was empty she turned to find her sister glaring at her from the other side of the room.

"You don't know how to be furious," Alex said as she slowly got out of bed. She wobbled briefly, and Kara was there instantly to help steady her.

"I can learn," Kara said as she helped Alex toward the bathroom, "especially after this last stunt. Do you know how worried I was? How worried Maggie and Eliza was?"

"I can imagine," Alex deadpanned as Kara helped her onto the toilet. She looked up, surprised when Kara made no move to leave the bathroom. "I don't need a babysitter Kara."

"From where I'm standing you do," Kara replied, folding her arms across her chest. Alex sighed.

"Look, can we talk about this later?" Alex asked. "I really need a shower."

"Fine," Kara relented, "but I'll be waiting in the kitchen. It's time we have a real talk." Alex nodded, and Kara finally left. Alex finished her morning routine and entered the kitchen area twenty minutes later. She was surprised to find Maggie waiting with Kara. Maggie looked up from the stove, where she was making omelets. She froze when she saw Alex in her black uniform.

"No," she said, pushing the pan away more harshly than necessary. "There is no way I'm letting you go back to work today."

"It doesn't matter if you're letting me or not," Alex said, coming to stand by the table, "I'm going. But I think we need to have a serious talk before I go."

"About last night?" Maggie asked, turning her back to her girlfriend and focusing on the food again. A few minutes later she turned off the stove and brought three plates over to the table. Alex and Kara took their plates and for the next few minutes the only sound that could be heard was the tinkling of forks and knifes on plates.

"About last night, and all the other nights since I was kidnapped." Alex started once the plates were almost clean. "I have something to say, and I need to say it without you interrupting." She looked down at her plate and idly played with the remnants of her omelet while she gathered her thoughts. "Last night," she finally started, "was a one-time thing. I never meant to worry any of you. I know you guys don't understand, and maybe I can't even explain it, but when I heard the news I just had to get away." She looked to Maggie. "Everything I told you last night was true. I was mourning my life, but now I'm going to fight."

"That's not good enough," Maggie said darkly. "You put us through hell last night and you think a simple 'I'm sorry' is good enough? Which, by the way, you haven't said yet."

"You don't think I'm going through hell!" Alex shouted. "Every single day since he took me has been hell. You can't imagine how terrifying it is knowing your body is going to betray you and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. Knowing the only person who can help is a psychopath. I also know he never will, and not just because Edith is dead."

"Don't talk like that," Kara said gently. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Why not?" she asked them. "Because it's the truth. I've been pretending every day that everything will be okay, pretending for you, but the truth is it's not going to be okay. Whatever minuscule hope we were holding onto was totally shattered yesterday, so it's time to start accepting what's going to happen. I am going to die from this."

"That doesn't sound like fighting," Maggie spat out, looking at Alex before lowering her gaze back to her plate. Alex sighed and closed her eyes.

"I am terrified every second of every day," she reluctantly admitted. Maggie looked up abruptly, her focus totally on her girlfriend. "And not about losing any of you, but you losing me." Alex opened her eyes and stared at Maggie. Neither of them broke their staring contest. "At first, I was just afraid of dying. I know you guys tried to hide it, but I found my file. I know what happened when I was unconscious. I knew how easily he could make my heart stop. I knew how easily he could take me away from you. And I wanted to make it as painless for you as possible, so I bowed to your semi-unreasonable demands. I stopped going out in the field. I cut my hours. I let you take away my car and my bike. I let you, and Kara, and J'onn, and my mother dictate my life."

"Not everything was unreasonable," Maggie chimed in. Alex smiled at her gently.

"And then, despite all the precautions, all the bubble wrap you could cocoon me in, the first trap was triggered. The fever." She paused to give them a minute to regroup. "The fever wasn't that bad, as far as your body betraying itself went. Nobody ever said working at the DEO was the safest job in the world. There is a high possibility of aliens using bioweapons, intentionally or unintentionally. I've made peace with dying that way long ago, so when it happened, I took it in stride. That one didn't shake me, except to negate any illusions I had that the procedure didn't work."

"Alex," Kara said, her voice completely sympathetic. She hated watching her sister in pain without anyway to fix it. Alex flicked her eyes to her momentarily before flicking back to Maggie.

"The second one is the one that terrified me," she continued. They watched her intensely, this was the first time she had really talked about what happened to her during the second trap. "I didn't know what was going on. I woke up in a sea of nothingness and I had no idea how to escape. I was panicking, and then suddenly I knew I wasn't alone. I could survive because something, someone, was right there with me." She looked over at her sister again. "I don't know how you got through to me, but you gave me the strength to keep on fighting. But I have never been more terrified in my life. Because it wasn't a fight for my life, but for my soul. One that every day I got closer and closer to losing."

"Babe," Maggie interjected, tears in her eyes. But Alex just shook her head.

"The worst part wasn't that I was going to die, because I read Hamilton's report. You could have kept me alive for years in that state. The worst part was not being able to tell you goodbye. And that is what terrifies me the most. Not the dying part, but not being able to say I love you one last time." She looked between the women. "Last night was not a mistake, it was a catharsis. I've been trying to be so strong for you, all of you, that I didn't realize how much I needed the release. I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you any of this before last night, and I'm sorry I made you worry about me, but I needed to mourn while I still could. I needed one night where I didn't have to be strong before I held up the sky again." By now Alex had tears in her eyes.

"You are such a dork," Kara cried as she reached over and grabbed her sister in the biggest bear hug she could. A second later Maggie joined and for a long minute the three women just held each other and cried.

"You don't always have to be strong," Maggie whispered. "Not for me."

"Or me," Kara added as they broke apart. "And the next time you need a pity party, just let us know about it, even if we aren't invited." Maggie nodded her agreement.

"Deal," Alex agreed as she left the table and reached for her keys.

"And where do you think you're going?" Maggie asked, wiping her tears away. Kara headed to the doorway, clearly intending to head her sister off. "Just cause we've had this heart to heart does not mean that we aren't still furious with you, or willing to let you kill yourself without a fight.

"To the Bunker. I have a few things I'm working on that I need to finish," Alex answered. Maggie moved to intercept, but Alex backed away. "I'm not going to break. And I'm not so far gone that I can't safely drive my car. When I reach that point I will hand you my keys personally, but until then I can't live with the unreasonable restrictions."

"We're just worried about you," Kara said. Alex softened.

"I know, but I can't do it anymore. I have to live my life. If you have a valid reason for me not doing something, I'll listen. But I'm wearing the Bio-reader, which will shut the car down if anything falls outside the set parameters. Please. I need as much normalcy as I can get."

"Fine," Kara said as she moved out of the way, "but I hope you don't expect us to stop worrying about you, cause that's never gonna happen." Alex smiled slightly. "What's so important about the Bunker anyway? Nothing is going on there. Your recruits aren't even there."

"We're revolutionizing the training of DEO agents," Alex told them. She looked to Kara. "I won't be there to watch your back, these agents will. And I'll be damned sure I teach them every trick in the book before I trust my little sister's safety to them. It's the only way I can protect you now."

"Fine," Maggie huffed. "But I'm still mad."

"I know," Alex told her. "You have every right to be. But I still love you."

"I love you too," Maggie responded, wrapping her arms around her lover and kissing her. The kiss started gentle, but Alex quickly deepened it and soon they were oblivious to everything in the world except the two of them. Until Kara coughed discretely. Reluctantly they pulled away. "You gotta promise me one thing."

"What's that?" Alex asked.

"Be home by seven tonight." Alex arched her eyebrow questioningly. "I feel the need for angry, make up sex." Alex grinned, and Kara blushed as they opened the door and headed to their respective workplaces. That night Alex was home at seven on the dot. And the sex was amazing.

* * *

"C'mon Alex," Maggie said, eyeing the clock for the fifth time that hour. The time stubbornly remained the same. Seven past twelve. Alex was seven minutes late. Alex, who hated being late, was seven minutes late for their lunch date. Maggie was torn. After their serious discussion the other morning, she was really trying to give her fiancée some space. Trying not to panic at every single thing. Besides, she tried telling herself, it's only seven minutes. Any number of normal, not near-death things could happen that could cause her unusually punctual girlfriend to run a little late. And if it was a big thing, Alex would call her. She looked to the clock again, just in time for the minute hand to move to eight. "Screw it," she mumbled to herself, picking up her phone. She quickly hit Alex's number.

"Danvers," Alex answered after the first ring. Maggie could hear beeps and twirls in the background and knew she was still in her lab. With the recruits still out with Dontay, she knew Alex was starting a couple of lab experiments she had been putting off. And she knew from personal experience how her lover's mind tended to wander when she was in her lab.

"Alex?" Maggie asked. "Aren't you supposed to be somewhere right now?"

"What?" Alex asked. Maggie could picture her eyes scrunched up in thought until she had her breakthrough. "Oh shit," she said, right when Maggie thought she would. "I'm sorry. I forgot. I was just going to get everything set up and then come get you, but I…"

"Just got swept away," Maggie finished with a grin.

"I am sorry," Alex said again. "I can leave now, and we can have a late lunch, or I can make it up to you in other ways tonight."

"After Little Danvers leaves you mean," Maggie specified.

"Right," Alex spluttered on the other end and Maggie could just about see the blush rising on her cheeks. "Or I can call her and reschedule sister night."

"That sounds even better," Maggie answered.

"So I'll make it up to you tonight?" Alex asked hopefully.

"Tonight," Maggie confirmed. "I love you."

"I love you," Alex repeated, until something drew her attention away. "I gotta go. Bye."

"Bye," Maggie barely got out before the connection was lost. Maggie smiled as she put down the phone. With the extra time she now had she should be able to finish the report she was working on. She began typing, lost in her memories.

"Sawyer," she looked up to see the Chief heading towards her.

"Chief," she said, adding the finishing touches and quickly hitting the submit button. "I just finished it," she told him, showing him the finished report.

"This isn't about your paperwork," he said, looking at her intently, "or lack thereof." Maggie gulped. She was trying to keep up with her paperwork, but with everything going on it was so hard to give any priority to something so bureaucratic. She was valiantly trying to think of an excuse when he continued. "How's Alex?"

"She's doing fine for the moment," she said, studying him intently. He was the only one at the NCPD who knew the whole story regarding her fiancée. He helped her whenever he could, whether it was giving her weeks of leave at the drop of a hat or rearranging schedules to make it more convenient for her. "She's pushing herself too hard, which is kind of a relief. It's like having the old Alex back." The Chief nodded and continued to stare at her, and she held his gaze. "Sir. Is everything okay?"

"No," he said, glancing around the bullpen before turning around. "My office." He didn't wait to see if she was following until he got to his door. He held the door open for her then shut it tightly before rounding his desk.

"Sir?" Maggie asked, staring at the closed door. The closed door was never a good sign.

"Have a seat Maggie," he said, his usual gruffness gone. She did, her knees suddenly trembling. "There's been an attack. In Gotham," he quickly told her, knowing her mind would automatically go to her fiancée. "Detective Ogana."

"Tash?" she whispered, her face paling. "Is he dead." He shook his head.

"He's listed as serious," he told her gently. "He's in a coma. The doctors say his chances are about fifty-fifty at this point. He was lucky they got to him quickly." Maggie nodded numbly.

"What happened?" she whispered.

"The drug dealer he was tracking in Gotham found him first," the Chief told her. "He was camped out in an abandoned warehouse while undercover. The entire place was shot up like nothing they've ever seen."

"Alien?" Maggie asked. The Chief opened up a file and placed a picture on the desk between them.

"Alien," he said simply. The picture showed total destruction, but to the trained eyes of the Science Division, they could easily see signs of heat vision, flame throwing, and even acid splatters.

"It looks like the work of more than one species," Maggie said, her detective mask firmly slipping into place. "If we could get a copy of the forensics, we could narrow it down for them."

"There is no forensics," the Chief told her. "The Crime Lab got there and barely got a few pictures when the whole building imploded. We were lucky no one else was hurt." Maggie looked up at him. He sighed. "They're in over their head. The Commissioner assigned the case to several other Detectives. They were attacked as soon as they left the precinct."

"They have a telepath," Maggie mused. The Chief nodded in agreement.

"We don't know where the leak is. Could be a dirty cop. Could be a vendor or janitor. Hell, it could be a punk in lockup who let themselves get caught to be the inside man." He sighed again and gathered up the picture. "The bottom line is they have a situation that they have no idea how to handle. And they've reached out for help."

"We can't send a team," Maggie said. "If they've been infiltrated, they'd gun down whoever we sent as soon as they walk in the door."

"I know," he agreed. "Which was why I wasn't sending in a team." He stared at Maggie until she finally understood.

"I'll do it," she said.

"You'll have no backup," he told her solemnly. "You'll have no team. And if things go south, the police are more likely to shoot you than arrest you. I'll tell the Commissioner I've sent an Officer, but it will go no further than that. You will be completely on your own. This will probably be the most dangerous situation you will ever be in, and given your record, that's saying something."

"I'm in," Maggie said, steeling herself. "I've been undercover in Gotham before. I've got contacts and connections. Plus, I am the leading expert on aliens in the department. I'm the logical choice."

"Plus, you're one badass, tough as nails cop," the Chief smiled slightly, "but this has nothing to do with logic. You also are recently engaged, have a family that you never did before. And there's Alex's situation to consider." He took a deep breath before looking her in the eye. "Take the afternoon and think about this. Talk to Alex. Find out what she thinks." Maggie shook her head.

"With all due respect Sir," she started, "I don't need to talk to Alex to know what she would say. She would say it's my decision, and she supports me one hundred percent whatever I decide. Then she would say the only thing she has a problem with would be not going undercover with me." The Chief nodded. He had only met the woman a few times, outside of official meetings which he usually left in Sawyer's capable hands, but nearly everyone knew about the agent who always stood by Supergirl's side. She was almost as tough as Maggie. "I'm in."

"I thought you would say that," he said, sliding the folder her way. "That's everything they have on this dirtbag. It's the same case Tash was working on when he visited last month, so whatever you guys talked about is probably relevant."

"What's the play?" Maggie asked, perusing the file.

"You don't tell anybody you're going in," he said. "You are strictly doing recon. Surveillance. When you have enough evidence, you call me. I'll come with the big guns."

"SWAT?" Maggie asked. The Chief smiled and shook his head.

"DEO," he told her. "You know, the ones you love running around with so much." Maggie blushed slightly. "Once the threat is neutralized we split up the spoils. DEO gets the aliens, Gotham PD gets the criminals, and first rounds on me."

"And if things go south?" Maggie asked.

"Try to get arrested, not killed," the Chief deadpanned, "and use your one phone call to call me. I'll get everything straightened out from here. And if it ever gets too much, you can simply walk away." Maggie nodded.

"The DEO is in on this?" she asked. He nodded.

"They've even agreed to let you borrow some of their gear. I have no idea what that means. Honestly, I was trying to see if the world was about to end for them to be so generous." Maggie smirked. She closed the folder and got to her feet.

"If you'll excuse me, Sir, I need to see a man about a gun." The Chief nodded.

"Just be careful," he told her, getting to his feet to see her out. "I know you run around with aliens all day, but not all of them are warm and fuzzy."

"Believe me Sir, I know," Maggie said as she left his office. She stopped at her desk briefly, just long enough to pull up the files she and Tash talked about and copy them onto a flash drive before leaving the police precinct. She made a beeline for the DEO. Time to get some goodies.


	27. Chapter 27

Warnings and Disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Detective," J'onn greeted her as soon as she parked. Together they made their way inside the building.

"The Chief said he reached out to you," Maggie said. J'onn nodded.

"Recon and intelligence gathering isn't really in our wheelhouse," he said as they got on the elevator, "but Agent Schott has some toys you might find interesting. Of course, since we rarely employ this technology, you are being given some items to field test if you're willing."

"Guinea pig Sawyer at your service," Maggie said as the doors opened. Winn was waiting for them, vibrating with excitement. "You're like a kid at Christmas," she said as he swooped in to give her a big hug.

"I'm just so excited," he said as he dragged her over to his desk. "I've been tinkering with this stuff on and off since before I started working here, but this is the first time I've really been able to use it."

"Hit me with your best shot," Maggie said, unable to stop grinning at his enthusiasm. He turned to the first case.

"This is the basic stuff," he said, pulling out a couple of cell phones. "These are your basic burner phones. Use and discard as needed. But this," he held out phone nearly identical except for the case, "this is the holy grail of phones. Completely encrypted. Totally untraceable. And it has a self-erasing virus attached for every outgoing call you make. You can literally call someone with it, and they won't even have a record of an incoming call. Same with connecting to the internet, in the unlikely event you have to use Wi-Fi. Plus, I added a cheat that gives you unlimited lives for Candy Crush."

"That's just evil," J'onn snorted. Winn looked pleased.

"I've upgraded the battery too. It will last a month on a single charge. The case is a spare battery pack which will last three months. And the best part, the phone and the case are Kara proof."

"Kara proof?" Maggie asked, laughing.

"Do you know how many phones she goes through a month?" J'onn asked. "It's a requisitional nightmare."

"The DEO R and D team developed a new polymer," Winn said proudly, "which increases the strength of the case by nearly two hundred percent. Plus, the battery is so good because we actually need the power to create a miniature shield around the phone."

"A shield?" Maggie asked. "Like for a ship?"

"Nothing that ambitious, at least not yet," Winn said. "We're still having technical difficulties. The largest we've been able to get is about the size of a tablet. Plus, there's the problem of anything alive inside the shield is killed, so that kinda defeats the purpose. But a phone isn't a living thing, and it seems to work for that. Kara's only managed to break two since we upgraded her phone last month."

"Impressive," Maggie said, moving on to the next case. "What's in here?"

"Your standard security gear," he said, putting the phone down and joining her. "Cameras, motion detectors, automated warnings, biometric locks. Wherever you decide to set up your base, it will be as secure as I can make it. And, just in case you want to stay somewhere a bit classier that has their own security system, I've included our latest integrated surveillance tech. It will grant you undetected and unfettered access to any standard security systems. And here is the counter surveillance gear if you need privacy."

"That'll come in handy," Maggie said as she followed Winn to the next case.

"Here we have standard issue DEO trackers," he said, opening the case with a flourish. "But we also have some none standard ones too. I've tinkered around with these and added microphones and cameras."

"So they not only track," Maggie said, "they spy too."

"That was the idea," Winn agreed, "and sometimes they work, but it depends on where you get them. We were able to play around with these a bit. We put them on the undercarriage of a car and were able to get great sounds of the engine. We put it inside the car, and not only were we able to hear every word they said, we were able to see outside the windows to an extent. Anyway, that's why I was also working on this," he led her to another case. "This is my fly on the wall."

"What?" Maggie asked. Winn sighed.

"You know, like the saying. What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall." Maggie looked at him blankly. He sighed and picked up a small robot. "It's a drone. A very small, very quiet drone that you can fly through almost any ventilation system into a closed room and see and hear everything that's going on. It's remote controlled, and I would recommend you practice somewhere safe before deploying it in the field. Plus, it has an automated recall function, so when you're done it will automatically go to its home."

"Anything you see and hear with these devices will automatically be loaded onto a secure server every night," J'onn told her, joining them and pointing to the last case. "Here, and also at the DEO. I give you my word we will not look at anything until you give us the go ahead."

"Or I'm dead," Maggie joked, but J'onn nodded solemnly.

"Which I don't want to see," he added, "which is why I also convinced them to give you this." He handed her a tablet. Winn squealed at the sight of it. "This is direct access to the DEO database." She held the tablet reverently. "I had to pull a lot of strings to get the okay for giving this to you. If this fell into the wrong hands, the effect could be catastrophic."

"I'll guard it with my life," she said, remembering the tragedies that happened when Cadmus got their hands on the alien registry.

"You're much more important than this tablet," J'onn said, holding her shoulders gently. "This is a piece of technology. It can be rebuilt, but you can't."

"Besides it has a self-destruct feature," Winn told her. "Initiate the self-destruct subroutine, or even attempt to access restricted information to many times and it goes boom. But not in the sense of a bomb or anything. It will simply overload and fry all the internal circuitry. It will also burn your fingers if you're holding it, so make sure you put it down first if you feel the need to destroy it."

"Another one of your ideas?" Maggie asked. Winn shrugged.

"J'onn asked me to look into ways of securing information that ever got compromised," he told her. "You know how paranoid he can get." J'onn rolled his eyes.

"Thanks," Maggie told them, amazed at all the neat toys they were offering her, "but you know I'm not driving a moving van to Gotham."

"Take whatever you need," J'onn told her, "or think you'll need. But I do know one last thing you'll need." He reached behind him and pulled a gun from his waistband and laid it in her hands.

"Alex's gun," Maggie said, caressing the gun lovingly.

"I think she would want you to have it, temporarily," J'onn said. Maggie nodded.

"I'm actually kind of surprised she isn't here," Maggie said. J'onn and Winn looked at each other uncomfortably. "She doesn't know," Maggie said, everything clicking into place. "You didn't tell her?"

"I haven't been to the Bunker for a couple days," Winn defended himself. "And I'm running out of plausible reasons to be there. And you know she hates it when she thinks were trying to protect her." Maggie nodded and looked to J'onn.

"I might have devoted my life to protecting this city and this world," he started, "but even I'm not crazy enough to break this news to Agent Danvers. You're on your own for this one."

"Coward," she said teasingly, even as she wrapped her arms around him. He held her for a minute.

"You just do what you need to do and come back to us," he told her solemnly. She nodded as he released her and walked away. She turned back to Winn and began the process of deciding what she needed.

* * *

"Alex?" Maggie called out when she got home later that night. She knew her fiancée was home; her car was parked in their spot after all. She looked in the living room and was about to check the bedroom when the smoke alarm started blaring in the kitchen. She quickly headed over, stopping at the corner and watching as Alex dumped the smoking pan into the sink before ripping the detector from the wall. "I guess that means we're eating out today?" Maggie smirked.

"I'm sorry," Alex said, waving the dishrag around to clear out the smoke. "I wanted to make you dinner since I forgot about lunch, but something went wrong."

"Obviously," Maggie commented. "That's why they invented take-out."

"If I place the order," Alex started, finally putting the towel down, "is that kind of like cooking for you?"

"Kinda," Maggie said. Alex smiled and reached for the phone, but Maggie intercepted her. "Before you cook for me, though, we need to talk."

"Is something wrong?" Alex asked, all levity gone.

"Kinda," Maggie admitted before retreating to the living room. She sat down on the couch and started fiddling with her engagement ring while she waited for her fiancée. It didn't take long for Alex to join her.

"Did I do something wrong?" Alex asked, staring at the ring.

"What?" Maggie asked before realizing she pulled the ring off her finger. "God no. I still want to marry you. I will always want to marry you." Alex nodded but didn't look convinced. "Come sit down," Maggie told her, patting the seat next to her. Alex did, but instead of sitting side by side, they sat so they were nearly facing each other. Alex was quiet as Maggie continued fiddling with the ring.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Do you remember Tash?" Maggie asked after a few minutes. Alex nodded. "He was hurt the other day. Badly."

"Oh God," Alex gasped. "Is he going to be okay?"

"It's too early to tell," Maggie whispered quietly, afraid that by saying those words out loud she was somehow responsible. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "He was undercover, trying to track down the newest drug lord in Gotham when he was attacked. Then the crime scene was destroyed before it could be processed, and the team assigned the case was taken out as they left the precinct."

"Oh God," Alex said again. "Are there any leads?"

"One," Maggie admitted. "Tash suspected alien involvement. That's why he visited me in the first place. And we got a few pictures of the crime scene before it was destroyed that clearly shows alien involvement. Gotham's newest psychopath has at least one alien working for him, probably more than one."

"That's horrible," Alex said, reaching for Maggie's hands, "but where exactly do you fit into this." Maggie remained silent, simply holding her fiancée's hands, letting her work it out on her own. It didn't take her long. "You're going."

"I need to do this for Tash," she said, holding even tighter, "and for the good cops who were gunned down simply for getting the case."

"I don't like it," Alex said after a minute, "but I'm not going to stop you. But don't think I'm not going to worry about you like crazy."

"I know the feeling," Maggie said. She pulled her hands free and held out the ring to Alex. She opened her mouth to speak when suddenly the front door burst open.

"You better not be breaking up with my sister!" Kara shouted, her eyes glowing menacingly.

"Kara?" Alex asked, glancing between her sister and the front door. "Mom?" Eliza quickly entered the room, taking in the scene with a glance before closing the door behind her.

"Kara, honey, you need to calm down," she said, placing a warning hand on Kara's back.

"She promised to never hurt Alex," Kara screeched, "and now she's breaking up with her." She looked at Maggie imploringly. "Is it because of Storm? You promised you wouldn't hurt her."

"I'm not breaking up with her," Maggie quickly shouted out. Kara gave her a withering glare before her eyes went back to normal. "Shit. You scare the hell out of me when you do that. Why are you even here?"

"Didn't Alex tell you about sister night?" Kara asked, still staring menacingly at Maggie. As one, they turned to Alex, who got a sheepish look on her face. "I'll take that as a no, but that still doesn't explain what you're doing."

"I have to go away for a bit," Maggie told them, "for a case. I didn't want there to be any chance of losing this, so I wanted Alex to keep it safe for me." Kara completely relaxed at the confession.

"Is it dangerous?" Eliza asked, coming over to stand besides Maggie.

"Very," Maggie said, deciding not to sugarcoat anything. "But I'm going to be very careful and come home as soon as I can."

"Why don't you tell us all about it over dinner," Eliza said, moving into the kitchen. "What in the world happened here?"

"I tried cooking," Alex painfully admitted before becoming confused. "What are you even doing here mom?"

"Apparently delivering a message," she said she came back from the kitchen holding the phone. "How does Chinese sound?" Everyone agreed and soon they had their order placed.

"What message?" Alex asked. Eliza turned sternly to her oldest.

"Dr. Wales. He tracked me down in the lab. He said you missed your appointment this morning."

"This morning?" Alex asked, confused. "No. My appointment isn't until Friday morning."

"Sweetie," Eliza cupped her cheek supportively, but her eyes were full of concern. "It is Friday."

"What?" Alex asked, looking around her. Everyone nodded their heads. Alex sighed. "I'll call him tomorrow."

"No need," she told her daughter. "He has you rebooked for Monday morning at eight. And he said don't bother going to the Bunker before you meet him. He's already instructed Eddy to not let you in unless you have your session." Alex nodded then hung her head.

"Hey," Maggie started when she realized Alex was crying silently. She quickly wrapped her in a hug, pressing her tightly to her body. "It's okay. Maybe it was just a bit soon for some of your projects. We all know you can get a bit absentminded when you're working in the lab."

"Maybe," Alex reluctantly admitted, leaning hard into her girlfriend. Especially when Kara forced her way behind her sister, laying her head against the back of her head as she awkwardly hugged both of them. Eliza watched the three of them quietly until a knock signaled the arrival of their dinner. She quickly paid the delivery man and brought the food inside, happy to see they already had plates and forks out.

"What is this trip you need to go on?" Eliza asked as they dished up their dinner. Maggie gave them a brief rundown of the situation, which caused frowns to deepen of everyone's faces. "Let me get this straight. You're going alone, without backup, into a dangerous and possibly life-threatening situation?"

"Pretty much," Maggie admitted. "I know it sounds scary, but I've done undercover there before. And I'm not taking them down, just gathering enough hard evidence to call in the calvary, which include the DEO. And I fully expect my hot fiancée to be leading the charge."

"I don't think J'onn will even try to stop me," Alex said, leaning over to give Maggie a kiss. "But why don't you want to keep the ring?"

"Gotham is a hard place," she said honestly. "Any sign of weakness and it will be over before it begins. And they see an engagement ring as a sign of weakness." Alex nodded and took it when Maggie passed it over. "And that brings me to my second request," she said awkwardly.

"Oh?" Alex asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I have a request," she started, "and I know we talked about reasonable versus unreasonable requests, but I don't think this is totally unreasonable."

"Mags," Alex interrupted. "Just spit it out."

"I want you to stay with Kara while I'm gone." The room went completely silent. "What if something happens to you in the middle of the night and I'm not there?"

"Is this about Storm?" Alex asked quietly. Maggie nodded.

"I have one extreme fear about leaving, and that's something happening to you while I'm gone."

"We've always had months between traps," Alex tried. "Unless you plan to be gone a lot longer than you think, it's a moot point."

"We don't know that," Maggie pointed out. "We still don't know how he is doing what he is doing. And that's beside the point anyway. I have one big fear, and if I'm distracted by that fear it could get me killed. So please, just promise me that you'll stay with Kara while I'm gone."

"Excuse me," Kara spoke up. "Did either of you think that maybe I had plans?"

"Plans?" Maggie asked, focusing on Kara. "Since when do you have plans?"

"Well I do," Kara said, huffing a bit. "I'm going out of town for a while. To Gotham."

"Kara," Maggie started, only to stop at Kara's glare.

"Going alone is stupid," Kara told her bluntly. "I don't know why you can't have backup, but you probably have a good reason for not having other cops with you. I'll trust your judgement, but I'm not letting my big sister go into a dangerous situation alone."

"Kara," Maggie whined. "Gotham is different. It's dark there, and I'm not just talking about light levels. They're not used to dealing with aliens, good or bad. Supergirl will just cause trouble there."

"Which is why I'm going as Kara Danvers," Kara said. "I hear they have a bad drug problem right now. I owe it to National City to report it."

"What about National City?" Alex asked, the two sides of her psyche opposing each other. The need to keep Kara safe and the need to protect Maggie.

"J'onn can cover for me," Kara said confidently. "And I will cover Maggie. I can be her backup." She turned her gaze to the detective. "It will be perfect. They don't know about me, so I can hide in plain sight. I can watch you without them even knowing and be there in a second if you need me too."

"You're going to do this whether we agree or not," Alex said, well aware of how determined her sister could be once she put her mind on something. Kara nodded, smiling brightly.

"Fine," Maggie huffed, "I guess I have a new partner. But follow my lead, okay." Kara nodded. Maggie turned to her fiancée. "Is it too much to ask you to stay with Eliza while we're away." Alex and Eliza locked gazes. Eliza nodded first, leaving Alex to roll her eyes.

"Fine," Alex reluctantly agreed, "but I hope I don't start World War Three while you're gone." Maggie smiled and leaned in for a kiss, which quickly deepened. The pair were quickly lost in each other.

"Come on Eliza," Kara said, pushing her empty plate away. "I think they need to be alone to say goodbye to each other." Eliza nodded, quickly wrote a note reminding Alex of her Monday appointment, and followed Kara out of the apartment. Neither women saw them go.


	28. Chapter 28

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"That was fun," Kara said as they approached National City over two months later. Maggie rolled her eyes and glared at her companion.

"They were shooting at us," Maggie responded.

"I know," Kara smiled brightly.

"They were trying to kill us," Maggie added. Kara nodded. "They fired missiles at us."

"We were perfectly fine," Kara replied. "None of that can hurt me and I made sure you were safe. They never knew what they were getting into." Maggie frowned.

"Still not seeing where fun plays into this."

"They didn't run," Kara grinned. Maggie rolled her eyes at her before turning her attention back to the road. "When I first came out as Supergirl, criminals would try and fight me. None of them ever stood a chance, but they would try. Now, they see me coming and run away. I just play fetch now."

"Let me get this straight," Maggie said, glancing at her companion once again. "Instead of running away they tried to kill you and that makes it fun?"

"Exactly," Kara grinned. Maggie sighed.

"Remind me to get you a dictionary for Christmas," she said, slowing the car down as they pulled off the highway. "You clearly don't understand the definition of fun."

"Don't be such a sourpuss," Kara pouted, pulling out her phone again. "Still going to voicemail."

"Think we should just head to Eliza's?" Maggie asked. It was getting late and all she wanted right now was to have Alex in her arms.

"I doubt J'onn would let her work this late," Kara said, trying the phone again. "I wonder why he didn't lead the charge in Gotham?"

"That's why," Maggie said, pointing out the window. Supergirl was flying toward the docks. A few minutes later sounds of fighting could be heard.

"Should we help?" Kara asked, her brow furrowed as several DEO vehicles raced by, heading to the scene.

"Haven't you had enough fighting for a night?" Maggie asked even as she fiddled with her police scanner. "Besides, what happens when someone sees two Supergirls?"

"But what if J'onn needs backup?" Kara asked desperately as they approached the intersection that would take them to the docks. Maggie didn't answer until they heard the all clear from the scanner. Kara didn't look satisfied until she looked up and saw J'onn flying away. "I guess they don't need my help."

"I'll always need your help," Maggie said as they turned away from the docks. "You saved my life today. You saved my life several times since we left."

"I will always save your life," Kara answered. "Besides, it was kinda fun."

"Again, fun is not the word I would use," Maggie said as they pulled into the apartment complex. "And I think it will be safe to say the DEO is going to be busy for the next couple hours. What say we make dinner for our heroes?" Kara nodded while Maggie parked the car. She tiredly got out of the car while Kara was practically vibrating with excitement. Kara picked up their bags and they walked toward the elevator. "I am so glad the DEO agents are dealing with the equipment. It was hard enough trying to get all the stupid things out there."

"But I'll bet Winn will be excited with the data you were able to get," Kara said, using her spare key to open the door. "He has been trying to figure out a way to field test some of those things for months."

"He might be almost as excited as you," Maggie said, flopping unceremoniously onto the couch. Kara smiled and was about to follow when an unexpected sound made the superhero turn to the kitchen instead. She dropped the bags at the unexpected sight.

"Jeremiah?" she asked, standing in shock for a second before rushing towards him. Maggie jumped up and rushed after her, her hand automatically going to her gun.

"Kara," he said, holding out his arms for a hug. Kara immediately fell into it. They held each other tightly for a few minutes before he pulled away and focused on Maggie. "Detective," he said politely, holding out his hand.

"Dr. Danvers," Maggie responded, shaking the proffered hand firmly, her other hand never leaving her gun. "Don't take this the wrong way, but what are you doing here?" Maggie released his hand just as she had a terrible thought. "Is it Alex? Is something wrong with her?" He was about to reply when they were interrupted.

"Dad? Have you seen my book? I swear I left if on the nightstand, but I can't find it anywhere. And we have a quiz tomorrow and I really need to read the next chapter." The girls watched as Alex rounded the corner, completely focused on the counter and everything on it.

"Here," Jeremiah handed her something that looked suspiciously like a phone book before looking back at Kara. "Alex. Look who's home." Alex scrunched her eyes curiously and put the book back on the table before turning around. Her eyes skipped right over Maggie and landed on her sister.

"Kara!" she squealed, racing over to give her a tight hug. "When did you get back? I tried to get mom and dad to let me come see you, but they said that wasn't an option. That just means you'll have to tell me everything."

"Everything?" Kara asked, responding to the hug and shooting a confused glance to Jeremiah.

"Of course everything," Alex replied. "You've been gone like forever. Were there any cute boys at camp?"

"Camp?" Kara asked, finally pulling away and looking between Jeremiah and Alex.

"You're right," Alex said, finally letting go of her sister. "You're all probably too sophisticated for something as primitive as camping. Was it more of a symposium? You know," she finally spared Maggie a glance. A glance filled with distrust and unease. "For all you… special people."

"Do you mean alien?" Maggie asked, torn between concern and indignation.

"You know?" Alex asked, pulling back sharply. Maggie and Kara looked at each other in confusion.

"Of course she knows," Jeremiah said, jumping in and saving them. "Kara met Maggie at camp. Remember. Kara asked if Maggie can spend the rest of the summer with us because they're working on a project together."

"Oh yeah," Alex said, slapping her forehead. She held her hand out to Maggie. "I'm Alex."

"Maggie." Maggie shook her hand politely. Alex beamed.

"I have a feeling we'll be great friends."

"The best," Maggie agreed.

"Okay Alex," Jeremiah interjected again, "It's time for bed."

"But I still have a chapter I need to read," Alex protested, grabbing her book protectively. "And Kara just got home."

"You can read it in bed," Jeremiah told her, "and Kara's not going anywhere. Besides, she's tired from her trip and is going to go to bed soon too." Kara nodded, easily recognizing the scene from Alex's teenage years but having no clue why it was being reenacted in Eliza's kitchen. Alex pouted for a minute but finally gave in, just like Kara knew she would. Jeremiah followed her out, returning a few minutes later.

"What is going on?" Kara demanded. He held up his hand to silence her, listening hard.

"Bed Alex," he said sternly a few minutes later. They heard Alex stomp off and a door slammed shut a second later. He slumped down onto the counter, closing his eyes momentarily before looking up at the women. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions."

"Yeah," Maggie hissed, trying to keep her voice down, "starting with what the hell is going on here."

"Another trap has activated," Kara said, her eyes tearing up, "hasn't it." Jeremiah nodded.

"We started to notice something a couple weeks after you left," he told them, "but we have no idea when it actually activated. An agent was injured in a recovery mission. Alex volunteered to cover for him on base until they could switch the schedules around. He was a junior agent, always paired up with another agent, with a recruit shadow. Nobody thought anything of the arrangement.

"One of their assignments was rollcall. I was one of the prisoners. I fully expected her to ignore me, or simply wait outside while her partner accounted for me, but she marched right into the room and looked right into my eyes. Then she said, 'Why are you not in Midvale with mom?' It was so unexpected I didn't say anything, then she just turned around and left. We were all shocked, but then we started noticing things."

"Her absentmindedness," Maggie said, reevaluating her interactions with Alex before they left. "Her forgetfulness."

"We thought she was just focusing on her lab work," Kara said.

"Everyone did," Jeremiah told them, "until that day she saw me."

"Why didn't they tell us?" Maggie asked before answering her own question. "Alex wouldn't let them."

"She didn't want you to worry or be distracted," Jeremiah told her. "She didn't want to risk you getting hurt."

"So what's happening?" Kara asked.

"We think it's an accelerated form of Alzheimer's," he admitted. "And it's different day to day. Sometimes she's Alex, the elite DEO agent, but mostly she's Alex, the high schooler. With everything in between."

"What's your role," Kara asked. He moved from behind the counter and pulled up his trouser leg.

"They let me out on parole," he told them, the tracker anklet shining brightly in the lights. He lowered his pantleg. "I'm officially under house arrest, though it's more like Alex babysitting duty."

"Alex can't leave the house?" Kara asked. "That's not fair. She didn't do anything wrong."

"That's debatable," Maggie said, angry that Alex had managed to hide this from her. Kara frowned but didn't say anything.

"We can leave the house," Jeremiah quickly told her, trying to appease the superhero, "I just have to let the DEO know first. We can go anywhere in the city. But Alex rarely leaves the apartment."

"Why?" Kara asked. He opened his mouth to explain, then shut it and opened it again, before simply sighing.

"You'll see," he told her. "Tomorrow, you'll see." Kara and Maggie looked at each other curiously before shrugging.

"I should go talk to Storm," Maggie said, picking up her jacket from where she dropped it. "Figure out what he wants to deactivate this one. Or have they figured out a way to trick Storm into helping us without revealing Edith's death?"

"Girls," Jeremiah said suddenly. "Dr. Storm is dead." The apartment was silent for a moment. "We don't know how he found out, nobody told him, but one day he just knew. He was dead a few hours later."

"Eliza's in the lab, isn't she," Kara deduced. Jeremiah nodded.

"Everyone's in the lab," he told them solemnly. "Nobody's giving up, but the problem just became nearly impossible. Everyone's been working around the clock for the last month, trying to come up with a solution."

"I should go help," Kara said, heading for the door, but Jeremiah pulled her back.

"The best way you can help is to stay," he told her. "Alex has been asking about you every day since I was made her caretaker. Now that you're back, you will be the only one she wants." Kara reluctantly nodded.

"I'll be here for her," she promised as she picked up the bags and placed them next to the couch.

"I'm sorry," Maggie started, "but what just happened? What exactly did we just see?" Jeremiah sighed. He came over to the couch and plopped down heavily.

"She keeps asking about Kara," he explained. "At first, we tried telling her the truth, but she could never remember the next day. Eventually she regressed to the point where she didn't believe the truth, so we made up the story that you were away at a camp for aliens."

"And she's buying that?" Maggie asked. Jeremiah nodded.

"We don't know why but that one's sticking," he told them, "and she hasn't regressed beyond high school Alex yet, although Dr. Hamilton is convinced that it is a distinct possibility."

"You mean she might forget me?" Kara asked. Jeremiah nodded.

"She already forgot me," Maggie said despondently, sinking onto the couch. Jeremiah put a hand on her knee.

"Not always," he told her. "Sometimes she's regular old Alex when she wakes up. You're the one she asks about first on those days." Maggie smiled at him.

"What do we do?" Kara asked, nearly in tears. Jeremiah shook his head and sighed.

"The only thing we can do. Be there for her." Maggie nodded and shot to her feet.

"Is she sleeping?" she asked Kara as she headed to the guest room door. Kara was right on her heels.

"Yes," she started, checking on her sister with her super vision, "but I don't think it would be a good idea to climb into bed with her."

"I know," Maggie reluctantly agreed. "I just want to watch her sleep." Kara nodded and opened the door silently. The two of them entered, quietly shutting the door behind them. They watched Alex sleep for an hour, until a soft knock broke them out of their trance.

"Girls," Jeremiah called quietly. They reluctantly opened the door again and joined him outside. "I called Eliza and let her know you were back. She was very relieved and promised to be home as soon as she can to give you a proper 'welcome back' hug."

"How long is she going to be?" Kara asked, frowning slightly. Jeremiah shook his head.

"They just finished up the autopsy of Dr. Storm. They're preparing his brain for dissection. Since that is the only clue they have now on how to save Alex they're going very slowly so they don't inadvertently destroy anything vital."

"She'll be a while," Maggie summarized. Jeremiah nodded.

"I don't know if you had plans for tonight, but you're welcome to stay here. If you don't mind sharing the bed, I'll sleep on the couch." They all nodded tiredly. Maggie and Kara quickly changed while Jeremiah made up the couch. Once he was ready, they retired to the master bedroom, falling onto the king size bed tiredly.

"Maggie," Kara said uncertainly. "I'm scared." Maggie opened her arms and Kara immediately curled up against her.

"Me too," Maggie responded, tears falling from her eyes. She could feel tears on her arms and knew they were both crying. "Me too." They held each other as they cried themselves to sleep.


	29. Chapter 29

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Morning," Jeremiah greeted when Maggie emerged from the bedroom the next morning. Kara looked up from the plate of pancakes she was currently devouring. "Did you have a good night?"

"I slept pretty well," Maggie told him, reaching for the coffee he held out, "but I wouldn't say it was anywhere close to good."

"Here here," Kara added in agreement. They focused on their breakfast again when a key sounded in the lock. "Eliza," Kara said, glancing through the door before moving to open it for her foster mother.

"Kara," Eliza pulled her youngest into a tight hug, holding her closely for a few minutes before letting go. She didn't let go very far though, just enough to run a critical eye over her daughter, looking for any injuries. Finally satisfied, she turned her attention to Maggie, performing the same ritual. "Maggie," she murmured into her hair, pulling her close again. "I am so sorry."

"The autopsy?" Maggie asked quietly. Eliza shook her head.

"Didn't tell us anything we didn't already know," she admitted. "Hopefully the brain slides will be more revealing. They should be ready in a few hours."

"Why are you taking apart his brain?" Kara asked, focusing on her breakfast again.

"We know he did the procedure on himself," Jeremiah answered. "He admitted that much. We suspect he altered his brain somehow. We think he gave himself a very limited form of telepathy."

"Is that possible?" Maggie asked. All three Danvers nodded.

"Extra sensory perception is nothing new," Eliza told her as she helped herself to a pancake. "There have been countless studies devoted to understanding the mystery of the paranormal, and the brain is always the main focus of these studies."

"But science has never proven that any of that is real," Maggie objected. Kara smiled.

"They've never proven it isn't real either," she pointed out. "It's still a big mystery."

"But it would explain a few things," Jeremiah added. "Like why J'onn could never read him. Or how he knew Edith was dead. Even how he managed to kill himself."

"He killed himself?" Kara asked, her bright tone calming slightly.

"He died of natural causes," Eliza told them, "but there was no reason for those causes. His heart simply stopped working. DEO medics were there within minutes, but despite their best effort he was gone. Why his heart stopped is still a mystery."

"He lost the will to live," Maggie said quietly. "His only reason for living was Edith, and without her there was nothing." They were all quiet for a moment until soft footsteps were heard coming down the hall. As one they turned and looked as a sleepy Alex made her way to the kitchen.

"Morning," she yawned, automatically opening the fridge and pulling out some juice. She poured herself a glass and was halfway done drinking it when she really saw who was at the counter. "Kara!" She nearly dropped her cup in her haste to reach her sister but thankfully Jeremiah was there to grab it from her hands. Kara was nearly flung off the stool by Alex, who was gripping her so hard it would normally leave bruises. "You're back. Did you have fun? Did you actually camp or was it more of a convention?"

"Alex," Eliza warned. "Let her breathe."

"Right," Alex said, releasing her after a few minutes. She sank onto her own stool as Jeremiah handed her the juice along with a plate filled with pancakes, eggs, and bacon. She ate slowly, her eyes never leaving Kara's. But Kara didn't mind. Her eyes rarely left Alex.

"Let's watch the morning news," Jeremiah suggested, trying to break the awkward silence. Eliza nodded and turned on the TV while Jeremiah finished dishing up breakfast. Kara's attention turned at once to the broadcast, the reporter in her unable to not watch.

"Nerd," Alex said affectionately, but she too turned to watch the news. Not as completely as Kara though. She continually shot glances at her sister while the family ate. At least until the program got to their big story. "Supergirl."

"What?" Kara asked absently, completely engaged with the news. Alex snorted.

"You dork," Alex said affectionately. Kara turned to her, confusion plainly showing on her face. "I wasn't talking to you."

"Huh?" Kara asked again, though this time her attention was on her sister.

"The top story was about Supergirl," Alex explained patiently. "She is amazing. You should see some of the stuff she does."

"It is pretty awesome," Kara beamed. Alex looked at her curiously. "What she does, I mean."

"Yeah," Alex smiled. "She's my hero."

"Alright Alex," Jeremiah interrupted them. "We have a busy day planned. Why don't you go get ready?"

"Okay," Alex nodded. She put her dishes in the sink then made her way to her bedroom. "Do superheroes have heroes? I wonder who her hero is?"

"You are," Kara said quietly, tears streaming down her face. She turned to Maggie, who also had tears running down her face. "It will be okay Maggie."

"She didn't even know I was here," Maggie cried. Kara engulfed her in a hug and held her tight. Eliza soon joined in.

"It's okay," Eliza cooed quietly. Maggie tried to stop her tears, but it seemed like everything that had happened had finally reached its boiling point. As much as she wanted to stop crying, she just couldn't. Kara and Eliza seemed to realize that and just held her as she cried.

"I'm okay," she said when she finally calmed down enough to raise her head. The tears had finally stopped. She shot them a watery smile, which they returned. "It's just… a lot to take in."

"I know," Eliza smiled down at her before letting her go. "I've had two months to get used to it, and sometimes I still don't know how to deal with it."

"How do you?" Kara asked quietly, not relinquishing her grip at all.

"I look for a cure," Eliza said quietly, "and I cherish every moment I have with her."

"In case there is no cure," Maggie whispered. Eliza didn't counter which told the detective everything she needed to know. This led to another round of crying, and this time even Jeremiah couldn't keep the tears at bay. The family huddled together until they heard footsteps coming back.

"Hurry up, Kara, or else we're going to be late," Alex said as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Late for what?" Kara asked. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Late for school dummy."

"Alex!" Jeremiah quickly chastised her. "You don't call your sister names." Alex rolled her eyes, plopped on the stool next to Kara, and reached over her sister for a piece of bacon that Kara hadn't eaten yet. Kara looked to her foster father imploringly. "Besides, it's Saturday."

"Then let's go to the beach," Alex said, nibbling on the bacon. "We should get some good waves. I can surf while Kara practices swimming."

"No," Eliza spoke up. "You know she isn't comfortable swimming by herself, and if you're busy surfing she'll be terrified to go into the water."

"Fine," Alex relented, "I won't surf. We can just swim. And I promise I won't leave your side and I'll never let anything happen to you."

"Well," Kara said helplessly, glancing at her foster parents.

"How about the park?" Jeremiah suggested. "It's a bit cold for water anyway. Plus, if you go to the park Kara can watch the birds without anyone thinking she's strange."

"Yes," Kara turned to her sister. "Can we go to the park. Please Alex."

"We can go to the park," Alex agreed quickly. "But that means you should get ready or I might just leave without you."

"Why don't you watch that documentary you were telling me about while Kara gets ready," Jeremiah said. Alex nodded and headed into the living room. She sat down in front of the television, which was playing some random program, and quickly became completely engrossed. "That should keep her occupied for a few hours," Jeremiah told them as he cleaned up after breakfast.

"Since when does Alex watch soaps?" Maggie asked.

"She doesn't," Eliza answered. "It doesn't really matter what she watches right now. In fact, the TV can be off and she'll still zone out."

"Zone out?" Kara asked, looking at Alex in a panic.

"She goes catatonic," Jeremiah explained.

"Catatonic!" Maggie screeched before covering her mouth with her hands. She slowly looked at Alex, half expecting her outburst to have disrupted the other woman, but Alex was still on the couch, watching the screen intently. "Sorry," she whispered.

"It's okay," Eliza reassured her.

"But catatonic? Isn't that bad?" Kara asked. Eliza sighed.

"It normally isn't good," she relented, "but we left normal a long time ago." She reached over and grabbed Kara's hand, then did the same with Maggie. "I know it's scary, but it's the new normal for her. She zones out, but she always comes back after a few hours. And her vitals always remain steady during this time." She pointed to a tablet that Jeremiah carried with him. "Dr. Hamilton is continuously monitoring her. If there's ever anything she doesn't like J'onn will have her in the DEO med bay in less than a minute."

"You're saying there is nothing we can do for her?" Maggie asked.

"Just be there for her," Eliza answered, a sad smile on her face. She squeezed their hands supportively before letting go. She turned to Jeremiah. "If you've got everything covered, I really need to get a few hours sleep before heading back to the lab."

"Of course," he answered immediately, "though, now that Kara's back I doubt Alex will be content to spend her time with me."

"Which is why I've asked J'onn to get you clearance for the lab," Eliza told him. "He's talking to Lucy about it now. I hope you don't mind." He shook his head.

"I'd do anything if it will help save our daughter," he said solemnly. Eliza nodded and excused herself to the bedroom. Jeremiah sighed and turned to Kara and Maggie. "She'll be out for a while. If you need to do anything for that Gotham trip, now is the time." Maggie nodded.

"I actually do need to go into the precinct," she reluctantly told them.

"I need to go the Catco," Kara added, "and then to the DEO."

"Go," he told them, "do what you need to do. I'll let you know when she comes back." They nodded and left the apartment slowly, each lost in their thoughts as they made their way to Maggie's car.

"I shouldn't be more than a couple of hours," Maggie said as she climbed into her car. "I'll make sure the Chief cleared up everything." Kara nodded absently.

"I'll do the same thing on the DEO end," Kara said, unenthusiastically. Maggie nodded and started the car. She was about to pull out when Kara put her hand out. "Are you okay?"

"No," Maggie admitted. Kara nodded knowingly. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to spend as much time with her as I can."

"Me too," Kara admitted. "I'll see you in a few hours." Maggie nodded as Kara flew out. They both hustled as quickly as they could, but it still seemed like a long time to tie up the loose ends from their adventure. Maggie was finished first and beat Kara back to the apartment. Alex was still on the couch staring at the TV, though Maggie could see she wasn't watching. She nodded to Jeremiah, who was watching her daughter closely, before sitting on the couch.

"Can I?" she asked, reaching her hand out uncertainly toward her fiancé. Jeremiah smiled and nodded.

"You can touch her," he said quietly. Maggie smiled and moved her hand to Alex's, interlocking their fingers.

"You're sure I'm not hurting her?" she asked.

"Positive," he smiled at them. "I've had to move her plenty of times. The only thing is it might be a bit awkward if she wakes up unexpectedly."

"Oh?" Maggie asked.

"Think about it from her perspective. She doesn't know who you are. If you woke up and had a complete stranger holding your hand what would you do?"

"Right," Maggie said. She squeezed her hand once more before reluctantly letting go. "It wouldn't be to weird to have my hand on her leg, right? Not on, but by the side? People squish together on couches all the time." Jeremiah just smiled at her and turned back to whatever he was doing. Maggie sighed. She leaned her head back, turning just enough so she was watching Alex. The TV was droning on, the volume lowered until it was an indistinct background noise. Maggie closed her eyes briefly. She was just so tired and the events of the last few months were starting to catch up with her. She jerked upright with the sound of a door slamming.

"Hi," Kara said brightly, beaming down at her. Maggie frowned and looked around her. The TV was still on, but it was showing some prime time show now. The windows, which had light streaming into them, were dim. The only lights now were the lights in the city surrounding them.

"How long was I out?" Maggie asked, stretching her limbs. Kara smirked.

"Well, we had just finished breakfast and now we're ready to start dinner," she said, her eyes twinkling. Maggie looked around and saw both Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the meal.

"I slept all day?" Maggie asked, her head turning to where Alex was. Or where she should have been. "Alex?"

"She's washing up for dinner," Kara quickly reassured Maggie. "Although it was quite cute when you were asleep. You were practically all over each other."

"What?" Maggie asked, her sleep filled brain trying to process. "Did she freak when she woke up?"

"I moved you before that," Kara told her, "at least back to your side of the couch. I think I got some pictures before that though. If you ask nicely I might not send them to all of your friends." Maggie growled at her as she stood up.

"If you don't delete them right now I might be forced to show your picture to your mother," Maggie countered as she headed to the kitchen. She waved to Eliza and Jeremiah and grabbed a stool.

"What picture?" Kara asked. This time Maggie smirked.

"You're mug shot."

"What!" Eliza screamed, nearly dropping the pot roast she was preparing. "Kara Danvers! Explain yourself." Kara glared at Maggie.

"It was a perfectly acceptable exit strategy," Kara defended. "We knew going in that getting arrested by Gotham PD was the best option."

"The Chief knew and was just waiting for my call," Maggie added, throwing Kara a bone. "Although he was a little upset at having to bail out two instead of one, he took care of everything. We even have all the in-processing paperwork they did. The fingerprints, the DNA, the mug shot. Everything that Gotham had is ours."

"I bet they're not to happy with that," Eliza said, finishing up the pot roast and bringing it to the table. Maggie shook her head.

"They knew the deal when they agreed to our help. I'm just glad we caught the guy. We managed to keep most of that alien drug off the street, and the gang that cooked it is done for. It was a good day."

"It was," Kara agreed.

"Can you girls set the table?" Eliza asked. They nodded and got to their tasks.

"Oh, by the way," Maggie spoke up as they worked, "I think the Chief is onto your secret identity."

"What?" Kara asked, putting down a spoon so hard it dented the table. She looked toward Eliza. "Sorry."

"That's okay sweetie," she said as she helped Jeremiah move all the food over. "What do you mean Maggie? Is Kara still safe?"

"I think so," she said. "He didn't say anything outright to me. But he knows Supergirl's style and penchant for destroying things."

"I do not," Kara protested, only to be shushed by her mother.

"And he got the pictures the crime scene techs got. Then he had to bail out Kara Danvers, a reporter who had no business being in that city, let alone that warehouse." Kara sighed. "Plus, the only reason he bailed you out was on my word. Even a rookie cop can make that connection."

"I guess we need to tell J'onn," Kara said. "Do you think he'll cause trouble?"

"My gut says no," she told them honestly. "But it still might be a good idea for J'onn to talk to him." Kara nodded solemnly until Alex came running into the kitchen.

"So, what's for dinner?" she asked, sitting down quickly before noticing Maggie. "Hey, look who's finally awake. You must have been really tired to sleep all day."

"I was running on fumes," Maggie admitted, happy when Alex smiled at her.

"Well, you missed a great day. We went to the park, then we went to a museum, then we went to a movie."

"You and Kara?" Maggie asked. Alex nodded. "That sounds like fun. Next time you should wake me up."

"Kara wanted to," Alex said as they started dishing up their plates, "but I wouldn't let her. I haven't had a sister day in like forever."

"Well, I certainly don't want to come between you and your sister," Maggie said honestly.

"And remember Alex," Jeremiah started intently, "we let you spend all day with Kara today because she and Maggie need to start working on their project tomorrow."

"Right," Alex looked crestfallen. "The secret project that I can't be part of. I could help them with it."

"It's something they have to do by themselves," Eliza said. Kara nodded, so Maggie started nodding too. Alex sighed and slowly picked at her dinner. Jeremiah and Eliza talked about work, trying to draw Alex out, but she stayed quiet. Maggie glanced at Kara, who just shrugged, until finally the dinner was over.

"May I be excused?" Alex asked when everyone was finished. "I think I'm going to read in bed for a bit before I go to sleep."

"Of course, honey," Eliza said, taking Alex's plate and putting in in the sink. Alex turned to Kara.

"Are you going to sleep in our room or are you staying out here with Maggie again?" Kara looked uncertainly at Jeremiah, but before he could answer Maggie spoke up.

"Of course she's sleeping in your room tonight. I only kept her out here last night because I had so many ideas about our project and I couldn't wait for the morning." Alex smiled and ran up to give Maggie a quick hug before bolting toward her room.

"Don't be too late," she called back to Kara. Kara nodded and watched until the door slammed closed.

"That brings back memories," Eliza said as she started the dishes.

"Let me help," Kara insisted. "You cooked." Eliza conceded, and Maggie moved over to help, leaving the scientists to talk quietly at the table.

"What is this project?" Maggie asked as she rinsed the dishes that Kara handed her.

"Part of the camp story," Jeremiah told them. "I was able to tell Kara about it during the day, but I didn't want to wake you up. Sorry." She shrugged and waved for him to continue. "You remember that I told you she kept asking for Kara and the only excuse for her absence was she was away at camp?" Maggie nodded. "Well, that worked while you were gone, but we knew when you got back she'd want to spend every second of every day with her."

"That's what she was like when they were growing up," Eliza added. "As soon as Kara joined our family, all of Alex's free time was spent with her. The only time they were apart was for school, practices, games, and meetings." Kara nodded helpfully. "It wasn't until after Jeremiah … left that things between them changed."

"Changed?" Maggie asked. She had always known the sisters to be close, they couldn't even stay mad at each other for more than a few hours. She couldn't imagine one without the other.

"I didn't handle Jeremiah's death very well," Eliza admitted. "Alex has always had more of a connection to him then me and to be honest I've always felt a little jealous. When Kara came to live with us, I hoped I would finally have a daughter who would connect with me, but she connected with Alex. I started to feel a bit on the outside, but then Jeremiah died, leaving me to deal with everything. I admit I didn't handle things well and Alex caught the brunt of my anger, my disappointment."

"I am so sorry," Jeremiah said, reaching for her hand over the table. She gave it to him and he squeezed gently.

"Alex started lashing out; at me, at Kara, even at her father who was dead. She was so angry. I had no idea how to help her. She and Kara were fighting, and I had no idea how to help either one of my daughters and I thought our family was falling apart."

"So, you did have a normal family dynamic at one time," Maggie said triumphantly. "Then what happened?"

"A young kid in our class was killed," Kara said softly. "He was the first friend I had here, except for Alex of course. I thought the police weren't doing enough so I took it upon myself to find his killer. Alex went with me to keep me safe, even though she protested every step of the way."

"And gave me a heart attack when someone tried to kill them," Eliza added. "Eventually, thanks to their help, the killer was found at that young boy got the justice he deserved."

"The cops couldn't solve the murder of a kid?" Maggie asked, aghast. "No wonder you don't play well with them." Kara looked abashed.

"I guess it didn't help when we found out the murderer was the local Sheriff."

"No way," Maggie gasped, dropping the plate she had been drying. Thankfully Kara had excellent reflexes and caught the plate before it broke.

"It was the first case we ever worked," Kara reminisced, handing the plate back to Maggie. "Of course, during our investigation we found out our star quarterback was smoking dope and got him suspended right before the big game. And then one of Alex's friends was having an affair with one of her favorite teachers and we got him arrested. Not to mention the Sheriff was dealing drugs and killed Kenny to cover it up."

"Another day in the life of the Danvers sisters," Maggie grinned. Kara smiled.

"We were ostracized together and suddenly our family squabbles didn't seem like that big of a deal."

"And they've been pretty inseparable since," Eliza added. "And we knew Alex would be extra clingy when you got back. Which is why we came up with the idea for the project. We know life doesn't stop for you just because Alex has had a setback. You still need to go to work or save the city or do whatever Supergirl and the best detective I've ever met need to do. Whenever you need to leave, just tell Alex you're working on the project."

"And she'll buy that?" Maggie asked uncertainly. Jeremiah could only shrug.

"We've been telling her you're at camp for the last few weeks," he said. "And we told her you had a project you needed to work on when you got home. The camp thing stuck with her, hopefully the project will too, but we have no idea if it will work until we try."

"And if it doesn't work?" Maggie asked. "Is it going to hurt her?"

"She's already dying," Eliza said sadly. "How much worse can it get?" Maggie sighed.

"I don't like lying to her," Kara said, "but if it will keep her happy and safe I'll do it. But if I ever think it's hurting her I'm stopping." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Now, if you don't mind, it's been a long day and I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

"Goodnight," Maggie whispered as Kara quietly walked past. Maggie looked longingly at the couch.

"You can stay as long as you want," Eliza said, knowing exactly what Maggie was thinking.

"I don't want to impose," she protested weakly.

"Nonsense. You're part of this family now too. You are never an imposition. I'd understand if you want to return to your apartment, but if you really want to stay we can probably get a second bed in the spare room. It' will be tight, but I think we can do it."

"Thank you," Maggie said with tears coming down her face. Eliza held her in her arms while Jeremiah made up the couch. "This really is the best family a girl can hope for."

"Get some sleep," Eliza told her gently. They retreated to the master bedroom, leaving Maggie alone in the front room. She climbed onto the couch, her eyes falling closed almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.


	30. Chapter 30

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The next few weeks passed by in a blur. Kara spent all of her free time with Alex. The only person who could get her to leave was Maggie, and only if she promised to stay with Alex while she was gone. This suited Maggie just fine. She spent as much time with her fiancée as possible.

Alex, however, was less than thrilled. Every time Maggie pulled Kara away Alex got colder and colder. Even when Maggie spent time with both of them, Alex always gave Maggie the cold shoulder. Therefore, it was no surprise then when Alex gave Maggie a death glare when she let herself into the apartment.

"Kara and I are going out," Alex said before Maggie could even speak. "And you are not coming."

"Okay," Maggie shrugged, slightly hurt by her words but she knew Alex didn't mean them. Teenage Alex was so different than the adult Alex she had gotten to know so well. Most of the time the differences were amusing, so she let the insults roll off her back. Kara smiled apologetically as she followed her sister out of the apartment. Maggie looked back to the elder Danvers, who were watching from the kitchen. "What was that about?"

"She's mad because you keep taking Kara away," Eliza said with a smile. They found teenage Alex funny. "She's worried she's losing her sister to you."

"So, my fiancée hates me because her sister likes me too much?" Maggie asked. Both Danvers started laughing.

"Welcome to teenagedom," Jeremiah said. "Nothing about them makes sense to adults."

"At least we all know she outgrows it," Maggie said, taking a seat at the counter. "How's it going in the lab?"

"We've hit a wall," she admitted.

"His brain slides didn't help?" Maggie asked. Eliza had been studying Dr. Storm's brain for the last two weeks.

"It helped immensely," she said. "I know exactly what he did and how he did it. I know how he inserted his tampered DNA into his victim. I know he used the hydrochloric acid to break the bonds of the DNA strands and the serum he invented was used to connect the broken DNA with the inserted DNA. I know how he used an electrical shock to cement the ends of the DNA strands together again. I could repeat the procedure completely if I wanted to." She sighed. "But nothing about that helps me undo the damage."

"So what now?" Maggie asked, crestfallen.

"We're trying to modify the procedure to work on animals."

"To what end?" Maggie asked.

"To start looking for a cure," Jeremiah said. "We can't experiment on humans. Chimps are the closest animal, genetically speaking. If we can modify the procedure to work on chimps, there's a possibility we can recreate the procedure and begin looking for a cure."

"Did Lucy finally give you the okay?" Maggie asked, turning her attention to Jeremiah. He shook his head.

"Not yet," he admitted. "She's pushing for it, but her superiors don't want to let someone with my record in on the project. They have their doubts about me, and to be honest after what I did before I don't blame them. It's just killing me that I can't help my daughter."

"You are helping," Eliza reassured him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. She looked over at Maggie. "We brainstorm over dinner. When I get stuck, I call him and we talk it over. He's helped more than he will admit."

"And the DEO are okay with that?" Maggie asked.

"As long as I don't see any empirical data they can claim plausible deniability," he told them. "It's working for now, but that means I can't help as much as I would like to."

"Once Jeremiah is allowed access, I'm sure it will go much faster," Eliza said.

"That sounds like it will take a while," Maggie said. "Does Alex have that long?" They looked at each other.

"We have no idea," Eliza finally admitted. "She's been holding steady right now, but who knows how long that will last. It's one of the reasons we're pushing animal testing so quickly. Normally we wouldn't dream of inflicting this on animals."

"But we're desperate," Jeremiah finished. "We just have to hope Alex can hold on."

"She can," Maggie said confident. "She's tough."

* * *

"Alex!" Kara called out after her sister. As soon as Alex pulled Kara from the apartment, she had been stomping ahead. Kara almost had to run to keep up. "Alex. Wait up."

"Hurry," Alex said, barely slowing down. "We don't want her to find us."

"Her?" Kara asked, finally catching up with her sister outside the apartment complex. "Do you mean Maggie?"

"Don't say her name," Alex spat.

"Why?" Kara asked, a teasing smile on her face. She had never gotten the chance to tease Alex when they were younger and was taking full advantage of it now. "I thought you liked her."

"As if," Alex quickly said, but Kara saw the slight blush on her cheeks. Kara sighed. She desperately wanted to make Alex admit her feelings, but she also knew Alex wasn't ready right now. She decided to try a different track.

"I thought you wanted me to make friends?" Alex sighed, her shoulders slumping and her gait almost coming to a standstill.

"I do," she admitted, "just not her."

"Why?" Kara pressed. "Maggie's great." Alex sighed again and headed towards a bench. She sank onto it heavily.

"She is great," Alex admitted when Kara sat down next to her, "but whenever she's around it's like I don't exist."

"She wants to spend time with you too," Kara said, trying to keep the smile off her face. Watching Alex work through her feelings about Maggie was highly entertaining, especially since she knew how they would play out.

"I know, and I like her, it's just," Alex sighed, closing her eyes tightly as she fought the tears that suddenly escaped. "I look at how close you two are and I'm jealous."

"Jealous?" Kara asked, completely not expecting this turn of events. "Why are you jealous?"

"You guys have such a great relationship that I wonder where that leaves me," Alex admitted. "I'm like a third wheel."

"You are not," Kara quickly told her. Alex shook her head.

"It's a good thing," she told her sister. "I want you to become independent. Seeing you with Maggie, I'm getting a glimpse of the amazing woman you'll turn out to be. The woman who doesn't need her big sister anymore."

"I'll always need you Alex," Kara said, laying her head on Alex's shoulder. "How long has this been bothering you?"

"Just the last few days," Alex admitted. "And it's not that I'm not happy for you. I am. It's just, seeing you with your friend makes me realize I haven't been spending enough time with mine. It's been weeks and I haven't seen or heard from anyone. And I've tried going to their houses, or calling them, but nothing I've tried works. It's like they don't exist anymore." Alex wiped her eyes when more tears escaped.

"Oh Alex," Kara said gently, laying her head comfortingly on her big sister's shoulder. "I'm sure they're just busy with their own projects, just like we are."

"Right," Alex agreed, turning her head so Kara couldn't see her tears. Kara sighed and slipped an arm around her sister to hug her gently. She had no idea how to tell Alex that all of her high school friends and scattered after graduation, that she hadn't kept in touch with any of them over the years. That everything Alex thought was true right now was a lie. Instead she just held her sister, comforting her in any way she could. Until she saw something.

"Alex," she warned, sitting up quickly. In a flash she went from sitting next to her sister to kneeling in front of her.

"What?" Alex asked.

"Your nose." Alex lifted a shaking hand to her nose, only to pull it back with blood on her fingers. Kara quickly whisked out some tissues, handing half of them to her sister while the rest went to her nose. "Tilt your head back," Kara ordered, almost knocking Alex over with how hard she was pressing.

"I know," Alex said while she wiped her fingers. Once they were clean she took over holding the tissues and tilted her head back, resting it as comfortably as possible on the bench. She glanced over at her sister. "It's just a nosebleed. There's no reason to freak out. It'll stop in a minute."

"Right," Kara said nervously. Alex rolled her eyes but kept an eye on her sister, who got more and more fidgety as the minutes passed.

"Tilt your head back more," Kara suddenly said. She stood quickly and went behind her sister. Alex complied, sliding back until her back was against the bench and let her head drop back. Kara quickly cradled it, carefully supporting her sister's head.

"Will you stop freaking out," Alex said a few minutes later. Kara nodded, then used her X-Ray vision to check for any damage she could see. "Oh my God. Did you just scan me?"

"Nothing wrong that I can see," she muttered out loud before focusing on her sister. "We should get you home."

"No," Alex shook her head. "Not for a little nosebleed." Kara looked at her in amazement.

"This is not a little nosebleed," she said. "The tissues are almost completely soaked." Alex scoffed and motioned for more tissues. Kara passed them over.

"It will stop," Alex reassured her. "If we go home now, we'll never get to leave again. Mom will be super protective. And quit listening to my heartbeat."

"How did you know," Kara started, only to stop when Alex smiled.

"I still know you better than anyone else," she said proudly. "Even your new friend."

"Fine," Kara smiled, relaxing her stance. "But if it doesn't stop in the next fifteen minutes I'm taking you back."

"Deal," Alex agreed, closing her eyes and relaxing into Kara's hold. "So tell me about this cute boy you were talking to earlier. James I think his name was."

"James is just a friend," Kara blushed slightly. "We're writing a paper together and he came over to get my draft."

"Just a friend huh," Alex smirked. "Then you won't mind if I take him for a test drive?"

"Eww," Kara gagged, which caused Alex to start laughing. They began talking about boys when suddenly Alex's heart rate began to skyrocket. "Alex? Are you okay?" Kara was close to panicking.

"Kara," Alex was reaching up her hand, which Kara quickly grabbed. "It hurts."

"What does Alex?" Kara asked desperately, but Alex's eyes rolled up and she passed out. Kara took a second to look around her. When she saw nobody nearby she grabbed her sister and shot up. A minute later she was touching down at the DEO.

"What happened?" Hamilton asked as she ran up. A med team was pushing a stretcher behind her. Kara headed to the stretcher.

"She had a nosebleed," she said as she laid her sister down. "She said it was fine so I didn't push, but then she said she hurt and then she passed out." Hamilton nodded as they began pushing Alex to the med bay. They knew better than try and keep Kara out, but she knew better than to get in their way as they worked. Instead she paced in the back until she was joined by the rest of her family.

"Kara?" Eliza asked as she gently pulled her youngest into the hall. Kara quickly retold her story.

"How did you get here so fast?" she asked after she was done.

"We got an alert from her bio monitor," Jeremiah said. "When you didn't bring her back home we figured this was where you'd take her." Kara nodded as she sank into a chair. Maggie sat next to her, their fingers interlocking. The Danvers' sat next to them, holding each other tightly as they waited. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Dr. Hamilton came out to meet them.

"Doctor?" Kara was on her feet instantly, quickly followed by the rest of the family.

"She's sleeping," Hamilton told the group. "She regained consciousness shortly after she was brought in and we had to sedate her. She shouldn't wake up for a few more hours."

"Is it another trap?" Maggie asked. Hamilton nodded her head.

"We just confirmed with the lab."

"What is it this time?" Kara asked.

"I have no idea," Hamilton admitted. "She was pretty agitated when she woke up. We had to sedate her before we could complete our examination."

"So we don't know how bad it's going to get," Eliza summarized. "She's never had more than one trap active at a time. How is that going to affect her?" The doctor could only shake her head.

"We have no idea," she reluctantly admitted, "and until we can complete her examination, we are flying blind."

"Do you think this trap will override the other one?" Maggie asked. Hamilton could only shake her head.

"Doubtful," Eliza thought aloud. "The traps only deactivated after Dr. Storm gave us the remedy. I think he'd see more than one active trap as incentive for us to work harder."

"I hate to agree with that thinking," Hamilton admitted, "but I think you're right." She looked up when a nurse entered the hallway and handed her a folder. She scanned the contents briefly before turning to the group. "They have her settled in her room if you'd like to sit with her." She barely finished the sentence before Kara led the way though the med bay to the private room Alex had been assigned. She opened the door quietly, trying hard not to wake her sister up if she was sleeping.

"Alex," she mumbled as she took in the frail form of her sister. She seemed a shadow of her former self. The standard sized hospital bed seemed to tower around her, and she was almost as white as the sheets. Kara moved to the bed and carefully grabbed hold of her hand, happy when it was neither ice cold nor fire hot.

"Her vitals are stable," Eliza said, as Maggie rushed past her to the other side of the bed. Eliza was studying the monitors surrounding her daughter. They were muted, in case she woke up hyper aware again, but Eliza could easily follow the steady pattern. "Whatever this new trap is, it doesn't look like it's affecting her physically."

"Not right now," Hamilton told the group, "but remember she is sedated. We'll have to wait until the sedation wears off to complete our examination." Everyone nodded as they made themselves comfortable. Dr. Hamilton lingered for a few more minutes before leaving the family to their vigil. They got as comfortable as they could while they waited. Hours later Kara perked up.

"Alex?" she called quietly, her entire focus her sister. Her call alerted the others. The lights were dimmed and Dr. Hamilton was paged even before Alex scrunched up her face. "Alex?" Kara called again. Alex stirred even more.

"Mommy?" Eliza and Kara shared a look before Kara relinquished her place by the bed. Eliza quickly slid in.

"I'm here baby." She reached out and grabbed Alex's hand, happy when Alex squeezed back.

"Mommy?" Alex asked again in a very childlike manner. She blearily opened her eyes slightly while at the same time curling in on herself. "Mommy. It hurts."

"What does?" Eliza asked gently. Alex whimpered, reaching for her mother yet at the same time trying to curl up into a fetal position. Eliza quickly pulled Alex against her. "It's okay Alex. It's okay. Mommy will make everything better." She started rubbing her back, trying to comfort her in any way that she could when the door opened. Dr. Hamilton quickly entered the room. Eliza glanced at her before refocusing on her daughter. "Can you tell me where it hurts?"

"Everywhere," Alex whimpered again, her eyes filling with tears. "Help me mommy. It hurts."

"Sshh," Eliza cooed, never stopping her ministrations. Hamilton quickly went to the drug cabinet and pulled out some morphine.

"This should help," she said as she measured out a dose and injected it into her arm. A few minutes later Alex started relaxing. "Can you tell me what happened?" Hamilton asked. Alex eyed her quickly before shyly tucking her head into her mother's shoulder. She mumbled something that only Eliza could hear.

"It's okay sweetie," Eliza told her daughter gently. "She's a doctor and she's here to help you." She gently encouraged her until Alex moved her head and looked to Hamilton.

"It hurt," she said quietly.

"What did?" Hamilton asked quietly. "Your head? Your stomach? Your chest?" Alex nodded shyly. Hamilton studied Alex for a minute. "All of them hurt?"

"Everything hurt," Alex confirmed before turning back into her mother. The doctor sighed as she studied the various readouts around her.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked gently. Alex nodded into her mother's shoulder. Hamilton looked at Eliza. "I can give her some more morphine, but I would really like to run an MRI before I do."

"Why can't you give her the drugs and then run the scan?" Maggie asked quietly from the other side of the bed. Alex cowered at the unknown voice.

"I'd like to do the MRI while she's conscious," Hamilton told everybody. "That will give us the best clue as to what's happening now, then when it's over I can give her some more morphine, enough to knock her out for a few hours."

"Can we do that?" Eliza asked Alex, looking down at her daughter. Alex shook her head, cuddling into her mother's side even more. "Please Alex. Can you be a big girl for me?" Alex just continued to shake her head, refusing to move from her mother's arms. Eliza decided to change tactics. "After we're done I can read you a story."

"A story?" Alex cautiously peeked her head out. "Which one?"

"Whichever one you want," she promised. "And maybe daddy can go get you some ice cream."

"Of course I can," Jeremiah said softly. Alex looked at him hopefully.

"Chocolate?" she asked timidly. He smiled.

"Chocolate," he nodded. "But you have to be a big girl for your mother. Okay?" Alex thought for a minute before looking back at Eliza.

"Is it going to hurt?"

"No baby," Eliza reassured her. "You just have to lie still. It might get a little scary, but I'll be with you the whole time." Alex thought hard for another minute before nodding her head.

"Great," Hamilton said. "Let me just make sure they're ready." She left the room only to return a minute later with a wheelchair. A nurse followed her in and quickly disconnected all the equipment. In minutes they had Alex in the chair, cocooned in a big, fluffy blanket and on her way to the scanner. Eliza went with them, not that Alex gave her much choice. As soon as she was in the chair she reached out and had a death grip on her mother's hand.

"She didn't even acknowledge me," Kara said, irrationally hurt at her sister's behavior.

"I guess this proves her memory is still affected," Jeremiah said as he patted Kara's shoulder comfortingly.

"It's getting worse," Maggie said. "It was holding steady around teenagedom since we got back, and over the course of a few hours she's reverted to a kid?"

"A little kid," Kara added. "She's acting, what? Seven? Eight?"

"Younger than that," Jeremiah told them. "Four or five."

"She lost a decade in less than a day," Maggie sighed. "What happens if she continues to lose ground?" Nobody had an answer, which didn't make anyone feel better.


	31. Chapter 31

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Pain," Hamilton said as she entered the room a couple of hours later. Alex was once again unconscious, knocked out by the morphine they administered immediately after the scan was complete. The doctor decided to do a second scan of her unconscious patient and compare the two. Afterward, Alex was moved back into her room where the family was still waiting for her to wake up again.

"What?" Maggie asked, raising her head up from the bed where it was resting.

"I think that's the next trap," Hamilton explained. "Pain. Her scans show an incredible amount of activity in the parietal lobe. In fact, it's nearly extinguishing the activity in all the other parts of the brain."

"Which could explain her rapid memory loss," Eliza said, reaching for the scans. Hamilton handed them over.

"What does that mean?" Kara asked, gripping her sister's hand tightly.

"Her pain receptors are firing constantly," Eliza said, putting the scan down with a shaking hand. "She's in constant pain."

"Even now?" Kara asked quietly.

"More than likely," Hamilton said. "The effects are most likely muted due to her unconsciousness." She turned to Eliza. "There are pain management regiments I would like to instigate."

"Such as?" Eliza asked.

"A morphine drip for one," Hamilton said. Eliza frowned. "I know it's not ideal for long term use, but hopefully it will give us some time to figure something else out."

"If it will help why can't we use it all the time?" Kara asked. Eliza turned to her daughter.

"There's risks associated with morphine sweetie," Eliza said. "It is highly addictive and very easy to overdose."

"And, as Agent Danvers has already shown, she develops a resistance to opioid pain medicine rather quickly. Which means the longer she is using it, the more she will need day to day. There is a rather nasty withdrawal process, even for patients who do not become addicted to the drug."

"It's not a good drug to become reliant on," Maggie said from the other side of the bed. She was staring intently at Alex. "Especially long term."

"But it's our best option right now," Hamilton said. She turned back to Eliza. "With your permission, I would like to set up a drip."

"Fine," Eliza nodded, "but not self-medicating. She doesn't understand right now. She won't know to push the button. Or when not to."

"Irregular," Hamilton frowned, "but I understand. I shall leave the medicating up to her family." She turned and left the room.

"What did she mean?" Kara asked. Eliza opened her mouth, but it was Maggie who answered.

"We're going to be the ones pushing the button," she explained. "We're the ones taking her pain away. We're also the ones who will watch her suffer when we don't push the button."

"We have to watch her suffer?" Kara asked quietly. Eliza moved to comfort her youngest daughter.

"We'll help her as much as we can," she assured her, "but morphine is very tricky." They turned as a nurse came in and set up the drip.

"Normally the plunger would be on a tether within reach of the patient," the nurse explained, "but this time it's going to be on the dispenser itself. When you think she needs a hit, just press here." He pointed to a large button on the side of the dispenser. The button was protected by a plastic cover that they would have to lift in order to get to, to protect it from accidental bumps and nudges. He took a key and unlocked the cover, allowing them access before leaving the room.

"And now we wait again," Maggie said, retaking her seat on Alex's left side. It was another four hours before Alex woke up.

"Mommy," she whimpered as her eyes blinked open.

"I'm here baby," Eliza said, sitting on the edge of the bed and holding her oldest tight. "How do you feel? Does it still hurt?"

"A bit," she admitted shyly, "but not as much as before." She looked around. "Did you do the scan?"

"Yes," Eliza said, smoothing her hair back. "You were very brave."

"Do I still get ice cream?" she asked quietly. Eliza laughed quietly.

"You sure do. In fact, I think we all deserve ice cream." She looked over at Kara. "Kara, I think Jeremiah left the ice cream in the freezer. Do you think you could run and get it for us?"

"Right," Kara said, getting to her feet. "Chocolate, wasn't it?" Alex nodded briefly. "Coming right up. Anything else you need?"

"What about my story?" Alex whispered. Kara nodded.

"Which book do you want?" Kara asked, although she already knew what the answer would be. Alex hid her head as she mumbled the name of her favorite book. Kara smiled. "Got it. Anything else?" Alex shook her head. Kara smiled and headed for the door.

"Mommy? Who was that?"

"That was Kara," Eliza smiled at Alex reassuringly, "and this is Maggie." She pointed to the Latina woman who stood a few paces back from the bed. "They're very good friends of mine. They heard you were sick and came to see if they could help you feel better."

"Are they doctors?" Alex asked curiously.

"Nope," Maggie shook her head. She took a careful step forward. "I'm a cop actually."

"Really?" Alex was awestruck. "Have you ever shot anybody?"

"Only bad guys," Maggie answered, taking another careful step forward until she was next to the bed, "and only as a last resort."

"I want to be a cop one day," Alex said proudly, "so I can help people just like Superman. Do you help people?"

"Every chance I get," Maggie said. Alex looked at her in amazement. "In fact, I help people alongside Superman's cousin."

"Supergirl?" Alex asked, wide eyed with wonder. "You've met her?"

"Quite a few times," Maggie bragged a little. "I even have her number on my phone. I can call her anytime I want."

"Wow," Alex said, her attention completely on Maggie now.

"Why don't I call her and see if she can come say hi?" Maggie offered. Alex was nearly vibrating with excitement. Maggie quickly pulled out her phone and found the right contact. Jeremiah quickly closed the door when they heard Kara's phone ring in the hallway. "Supergirl? I have a very brave girl who would really like to meet you." Maggie nodded before hanging up. "She said she would love to meet you."

"Really?" Alex asked, her gaze quickly going to the door. A few seconds later Supergirl opened it.

"Hi," she greeted cheerfully, rising a few feet off the ground and floating over to Alex's bed. "You must be Alex." Alex nodded stiffly.

"Supergirl," she whispered in awe.

"Can I sit down?" Supergirl asked, hovering over the bed. Alex quickly nodded her head.

"You're my hero," she said as the superhero gently settled on her bed. "I want to be just like you."

"You will be," Supergirl told her kindly. Alex nodded, star struck. "My friend Maggie says you're very sick." Alex nodded, eyes downcast.

"It hurts," she admitted quietly.

"I'm sorry," Supergirl told her. "I wish I could take away your pain." She reached over and put her finger under Alex's chin, slowly tilting her head up until they were eye to eye again. "But my friend Maggie and your parents can help. You have to be honest and tell them when it hurts. Can you do that for me?" Alex nodded. Supergirl smiled, pulling Alex into a very gentle hug. "You are so brave. You are my strength. Remember that I am so proud of you." Alex nodded as Supergirl released her. She suddenly looked upward. "I have to go."

"Bye," Alex waved as Supergirl rushed out the door. A few minutes later Kara came in, carrying a bag. "Guess who you just missed."

"Who?" Kara asked, handing the container of ice cream to Eliza so she could route through the bag.

"Supergirl," Alex beamed.

"Really?" Kara asked, pulling out bowls and spoons and passing them around. "You know Supergirl? Now I'm jealous."

"She is amazing," Alex said with a smile. "And Maggie knows her too." She took the bowl of chocolate ice cream Jeremiah scooped for her with a smile.

"Wow," Kara said, as she took a bite of the icy treat. "I am in the presence of greatness." Alex nodded as the room was quiet for a moment as everyone enjoyed their dessert.

"Did you bring my book?" Alex asked shyly once her bowl was cleaned. Kara nodded and pulled the well-read book from the bag.

"I also thought you might need a friend while you were here," she said as she handed over the book, "and I saw this little guy in the gift shop."

"Aslan," she whispered in amazement as Kara handed over the stuffed lion. She pulled the lion into her arms and held him tight. Then she looked between Kara and Maggie. "Can you read to me?" she asked, finally settling on Maggie.

"Sure kid," Maggie said, reaching behind her for the chair she knew was there. Alex held out the book to her. "Narnia huh? I used to love these stories growing up."

"They're the best," Alex agreed. "Can you imagine? A whole magical world inside a closet."

"Pretty cool," Maggie agreed before she started reading. Alex reached out and grabbed her mother's hand, pulling her onto the bed and snuggling into her side while she listened with rapt attention. Eliza began rubbing her back and that action, combined with Maggie's voice, soon put Alex into dreamland. Maggie finished the chapter, carefully placing a bookmark so they would know where to start again before putting the book on the far table.

"You know Supergirl?" Kara snorted quietly, looking at Maggie. "You could have given me some warning. I was nearly to the door when you called."

"I didn't think she'd remember," Maggie defended herself. "Supergirl is well past her time if she thinks she's a kid."

"Supergirl was past her time when she thought she was a teenager too," Kara reminded her, "but she still knew her." She turned to her foster parents. "Why do you think that is?" Eliza shrugged and looked to Jeremiah. He had much more day to day dealings with Alex right now than she did.

"Maybe it's because you're so important to her that nothing, not even Dr. Storm, can take that away." Kara smiled and helped herself to a second round of ice cream. She was munching away happily when they received their first visitor.

"Lucy?" Kara said in surprise, letting her spoon fall into the empty bowl. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard she had another trap activate," Lucy said, her eyes never leaving the not so still form in the bed. Alex was deeply asleep now, but she was whimpering slightly and shifting constantly. Eliza was trying to soothe her, but everybody knew there was nothing to be done. "How is she?"

"Not good," Kara admitted. Lucy nodded, having talked with Hamilton before she came in. She turned to Jeremiah.

"I have the official result of your request to be granted lab access," she told him. "I argued heavily in your favor, however the Pentagon is reluctant to allow a known Cadmus agent any access to anything as influential as genetic manipulation technology." She reached out and put her hand on his. "I'm sorry, but they've denied your request to be part of the team." He nodded sadly.

"I understand," he said unemotionally. "I wouldn't trust me either."

"But then," she started again, smiling mischievously, "I was reminded that the DEO is not the only organization looking into this problem." He looked up.

"L-Corp, a private corporation, is also looking into the technology," Lena said, coming up behind Lucy. Winn and J'onn were right behind her. "The pentagon has no say over who I allow in my lab. I can hire whomever I want."

"I appreciate the thought," Jeremiah said, "but the government monitors research facilities almost as much as they do businesses. If I show up on your payroll, they'll know and shut you down."

"Which is why we're doing this stealthy," J'onn said. "Agent Schott."

"Right," he said, moving into the room while he pulled out his tablet. "We can do this one of two ways. We can create a whole new identity for you, which might be better since officially Jeremiah Danvers died over ten years ago, or we can put you on a blacklist."

"Blacklist?" Jeremiah asked.

"Proprietary information that only certain people in the company have access too," Lena explained. "Projects that are so sensitive only a handful of people outside the project itself know about it. There is little to no government oversight."

"Until something goes wrong," J'onn grumbled. "It is how Maxwell Lord managed to keep several of his more industrious projects going. Of course, his projects were designed to be used against aliens, so the human officials turned more than one blind eye."

"Until they couldn't ignore the human cost any longer," Lena finished. "Only after his ultimate solution was the destruction of National City and every living thing inside did government oversight start cracking down on him."

"Project Edith is a blacklist project," Eliza said. "But still, they will see Jeremiah's name and know."

"Unless we make a blacklist in the blacklist," Winn said excitedly. "Bury his name so deep that even the scientists working there have no idea who he really is."

"And once the situation is resolved, hopefully with Alex getting better, the project is shut down as a failed experiment and nobody's the wiser. Not the board. Not the Pentagon. Nobody."

"I appreciate the offer," Jeremiah told them honestly, "but even though I would jump at a chance to help I can't. I was let out of my cell to care for my daughter. Now that she's back here, I think my next stop is back to my cell."

"I might have pulled a few strings for that," Lucy smirked. "With your help, nearly all of Cadmus's secret bases have been neutralized. Funding for Cadmus has all but dried up, and Lillian Luthor is still under house arrest. We're getting closer and closer to getting Henshaw. And even if Luthor is able to escape her estate, she has no resources, no friends, no prospects. Cadmus is all but done for, and that is all because of you. The Pentagon agrees with my recommendation that you be released on parole."

"Parole?" Jeremiah repeated dumbfoundedly. "I'm not going back to jail?"

"Not today," Lucy smiled. "The same restrictions apply. You will wear your tracker anklet. You will remain in the city at all times. You will only leave the city with prior written approval. You will have one thousand hours of community service. And you agree to help the DEO with Cadmus in any way you can. Do you agree with these stipulations?"

"Absolutely," he smiled. She reached over to shake his hand.

"I'm putting my career on the line," she said, not releasing his hand for several seconds. "Don't make me regret this." He shook his head.

"Dr. Danvers," Lena said as soon as Lucy stepped back. "I have a project I think you might be interested in. Unfortunately, I can't pay you the wage I'm sure you deserve, but I think I can count this toward community service. What do you say?"

"Yes," he said, looking over to his daughter. "Anything I can do to help her."

"Then I suggest we get started," Lena said as she turned to leave the room. "It will take roughly an hour to get you into the system and get you access. I think Dr. Danvers can bring you up to speed in that time. Whenever you're ready, we'll see you two at the lab." With that she left the room, J'onn and Winn following closely behind her. Lucy moved closer to the bed.

"You fight this Alex," she whispered, reaching out to place a quick kiss on her cheek. "Fight this like you've never fought anything." Then she left the room also, leaving the family together once more.

"Just hang on a little longer," Jeremiah said, pulling his wife and daughter into a hug. "We'll fix this." They simply held each other for a long time before reluctantly pulling away. "Bring me up to speed." Eliza nodded as they got to their feet. They spared one last look at their children. Kara nodded her head and gestured for them to leave. They nodded and were out the door.

"You know," Kara started gently, "what you did just now was wrong."

"What?" Maggie asked, throwing her a confused look. Kara smirked.

"You used your relationship with me to win back my sister's affection," Kara said, before her she frowned. "Over my own. That is so not fair." Maggie smiled brightly at her.

"All's fair in love and war," she quoted quietly before turning back to Alex, "and right now it's a little of both." Kara nodded, her festive aura all but fading as she moved closer to her sister.

"Just hang on Alex," Kara said, taking Eliza's spot and trying to ease her sister's sufferings any way she could. "Please, just hang on."


	32. Chapter 32

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"How's it going?" Kara asked from Alex's bedside. The Danvers' had been working seven days straight and had just received a page from Dr. Hamilton. They decided to take a break and check in with their daughter, knowing Hamilton would find them there. Maggie looked up as they quietly walked in the door. She smiled weakly, her eyes red from crying, as she returned her attention to the stricken woman.

"We've managed to completely reproduce the procedure on mice," Jeremiah told them, "but we're still miles away from a viable treatment for Alex." He looked down at his daughter. She was awake but obviously drugged, her eyes glazed over as she focused on nothing in particular. She was curled up in a fetal position, her entire body shaking slightly, while both of her hands were gripping Kara's hands tightly. She was squeezing the Kyrptonian's hands so tightly if it were anyone else they would have been broken. "Is it time for her next dose?"

"She's had her next dose," Maggie told them, blinking back the tears.

"What?" Eliza asked, reaching over and snagging her chart from the holder. Jeremiah read over her shoulder. "It's getting worse."

"Both of them are," Kara told her. "Her memory is even worse than it was before. She doesn't recognize us at all, and I doubt she'd recognize you. She just stares into space."

"The doc is worried about her organs failing," Maggie told them. "Her oxygen levels are already starting to fall. Hamilton is going to put a mask on her."

"Why would her organs fall?" Kara asked, shooting her mother a look.

"It's an advanced stage of Alzheimer's," Hamilton answered, sweeping into the room. She was followed by a team of nurses, who quickly set up an oxygen mask and slipped it over Alex's head. "The majority of Alzheimer's symptoms are cognitive; memory loss, confusion, disorientation, difficulty speaking or understanding. But in advanced cases, the body itself forgets how to function. Alex's lungs are forgetting how to breathe. I'm afraid her heart may forget how to beat soon." Eliza sobbed, turning into the arms of Jeremiah. "I'm putting her on Oxygen, but we may have to intubate soon." Eliza nodded.

"Is she in much pain?" Eliza asked, seeing the answer for herself but wanting someone else to confirm it. Hamilton nodded.

"Either her pain receptors are firing even stronger than before, or else she's already developing a resistance to the morphine. Probably a combination of the two."

"Is there anything we can do?" Jeremiah asked. Hamilton looked at them tiredly.

"I have a treatment idea, but it is extreme." They nodded for her to continue. "We place Agent Danvers in a medically induced coma." Everyone was silent as they thought about that. "If her organs are shutting down, there's a good chance she will slip into one naturally. If we induce the coma, we can at least stop her pain. And if her organs do shut down we will be ready to take over."

"How long can she last like that?" Kara asked, her voice unnaturally collected. Hamilton sighed.

"Assuming no other traps are triggered, we could keep her alive for years," she told them.

"What if other traps are triggered?" Maggie asked. "We still have no idea how many he gave her. We'll be fighting this uncertainty the rest of her life." Hamilton shrugged, closing her eyes in exhaustion.

"There are no good answers here," she admitted. "But I think it is the best thing for her at the moment." Eliza shared a long look with Jeremiah. He nodded briefly.

"Do it," she said. Hamilton nodded to her staff, who began bringing additional machines into the room.

"Detective Sawyer," she said quietly after they had all their supplies. "I need you to step back, please. You as well, Kara." The two women nodded. Kara had to pry her sister's hands off hers, but soon they were standing in the back of the room with her foster parents. It didn't take the medical staff long to hook Alex up to the various machines. Then Dr. Hamilton administered a final drug. The team stepped back, allowing the family to surround the bed. Alex's eyes blinked sleepily before closing. The medical team stepped back in and soon Alex was as comfortable as they could make her.

"We'll give you some time," Hamilton said as her team cleaned up and left. Kara nodded as she and Maggie took their usual positions on either side of Alex's bed. Jeremiah and Eliza were standing at the foot. Everyone had tears in their eyes.

"You said you got the procedure to work on mice?" Kara said, her voice steady even though her eyes were full of tears. Jeremiah nodded. "How will that help her?"

"It won't," he admitted reluctantly, "but it's the first step."

"What do we need to help her?" Kara asked.

"A vaccine," Eliza answered tiredly. "We don't know how many traps he put into her system. Going after them one by one after they trigger is just chasing the problem. We need to get ahead of it. Something like a vaccine that will bypass any tampered genome, whether active or not."

"Will that save her?" Maggie asked quietly.

"We hope so," Eliza told her. "It's what we've been trying to do all along. First using Edith's damaged DNA as a template, then Storm. But it takes time."

"You had to modify the procedure to work on animals?" Kara asked. Jeremiah nodded. "Would you need to modify it to work on aliens?"

"It would depend how closely their genome is to ours," Eliza said, the exhaustion radiating off her.

"What if you recreated the procedure on an alien?" Kara asked. "An alien with advanced healing powers. Would you be able to create a vaccine based on that?"

"No!" Jeremiah told her sternly, but Eliza was too tired to realize what she was asking.

"If the alien's healing capabilities were able to compensate or bypass the damaged genome, we could possibly base a cure…" Eliza stopped when she finally realized what Kara meant.

"Do the procedure on me," Kara said, turning to look at them for the first time.

"No!" Eliza shouted. "I am already losing one daughter to this. I will not risk another."

"It's the perfect solution," Kara argued. "You have already successfully completed the procedure. You know how it's done. I'm practically human when I don't have my powers. Do it to me and when I heal, you can use that to save Alex."

"Do you realize how many things can go wrong?" Jeremiah asked loudly. "First, you'll have to lose your powers in order to even try. I saw hundreds of healthy men die trying to do this."

"That was Lillian's way," Kara responded. "Cadmus's way. Dr. Storm has a different procedure and he has two successful results."

"And how many failures?" Jeremiah argued. Eliza nodded in agreement.

"And then even if you survive, you'll still be in the same boat as Alex," Eliza sank onto a nearby chair. "What if your healing abilities can't compensate and we're just left waiting for the other shoe to drop?"

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Kara said assuredly.

"I can't risk it!" Eliza shouted before dropping to the floor and sobbing uncontrollably. Kara knelt down and gathered her foster mother in her arms, rocking her gently as Eliza finally let go of all the fear she had been holding in. Her outburst caught the attention of the medical staff though. Dr. Hamilton rushed into the room, thinking the worst had happened. J'onn and Lucy also rushed in, alarmed at the commotion. Finally, Eliza calmed down enough to look her younger daughter in the eye. "I can't lose you too."

"This is Alex's worst fear," Kara said quietly, but everyone in the room heard her clearly. "She isn't afraid of dying, but this. Wasting away little by little with nothing she can do about it. Not being able to say goodbye to the people she loves." Kara hugged Eliza tightly then carefully helped her up from the floor. "We can keep Alex alive like this, but it's not living, and it's not what Alex would want."

"We can't give up on her," Jeremiah said quietly.

"I'm not," Kara reassured him, "but I'm not going to let her suffer indefinitely. Not when there's another option."

"I doubt Alex would agree with you risking yourself," Eliza tried. Kara scoffed.

"Probably not," she agreed, "but she's in no position to stop me. I think this is the best option. I'm doing this. You can either help me or I will find someone who will. I think Maxwell Lord would jump at the chance to experiment on me with my consent." J'onn growled, which started a new round of protests from the group. Until Maggie's voice rang out.

"Let her do it," she said softly. Her eyes had never left Alex during the discussion around her. Eliza rounded on her.

"I know you want your fiancée back," she started, only to be interrupted by Maggie.

"No, you don't know," she started, finally looking toward the rest of the group. "I want Alex back more than anything. I would die for her right now if that would give her just one more day. I would do the procedure on myself if there was any chance of that working. But I know that no matter how much I might want to, there is nothing I can do to help her. But Kara can." She looked to Kara.

"Not like this," Eliza whispered. Maggie shook her head.

"As much as I want Alex back, I also love Kara and don't want anything bad to happen to her. But you're all forgetting something. If Kara can help, but doesn't, she will never recover from losing her sister. If we stop her from trying, we are condemning not only Alex, but Kara as well. One sister to death, one to a fate worse than death. I knew from the beginning that the Danvers sister were a match pair. Where one goes the other has to follow. And that includes death's doorstep."

"What if they're right and I can't help?" Kara asked, voicing her one true fear.

"I don't know," Maggie admitted. "But I do know if you don't try, we'll lose you both. And I'm gonna fight like hell for both of my Danvers girls." She finally broke down and Kara rushed over and gathered her in her arms.

"Whoa," Lucy said, trying to bring some order back into the room. "Can we slow down for a minute here before we throw ourselves in front of a bullet." They all quieted down and looked at her. She turned to Eliza and Jeremiah. "First, is there any chance that this could work?" Jeremiah looked thoughtful before nodding his head.

"A very slim, remote chance," he told her, "but I would need a lot more data before I can confirm even a slim to none chance."

"Then we'll get it," she ordered. "I want a basic proposal by the end of the day." Jeremiah nodded. "I also want an unbiased opinion." She looked to J'onn. "Ask Lena Luthor to review the proposal and offer her recommendations. Make sure you redact all names so she thinks about this analytically rather than emotionally."

"I'm sure she'll figure out we're talking about Alex," J'onn told her. Lucy nodded.

"But hopefully she won't connect it with Kara." J'onn nodded.

"I'll send the proposal to DEO research lab," he added.

"And one to Metropolis," Lucy said. "There is a lab there that Superman trusts." She turned to Dr. Hamilton. "Assuming this proposal has merit, are you able to keep Agent Danvers stable for the foreseeable future?"

"Absolutely," Hamilton readily agreed. Lucy nodded.

"I would like your input in the proposal as well. You've worked this case from the beginning." Hamilton nodded. Lucy turned to Kara. "I know I can't make you do anything, but please don't be rash. Give us time to really flush this idea out. If it has merit, I promise I won't stop you and I'll help in any way I can." Kara nodded.

"I can give you some time," she told her, "but not too much. I can't stand seeing Alex like this, not if there's something I can do to help." Lucy nodded. It was a small victory, but she would take any she could get.

"Then we all have our assignments. Let's get to it." They nodded as slowly the room emptied once more. Eliza held Kara close for a minute before following Jeremiah out of the room, leaving the two women to once again watch over the person who meant the world to them.

"Thank you for supporting me," Kara said after a few minutes of silence. "I know you only did it for Alex."

"Stop right there," Maggie commanded. "I love your sister, more than life itself, but I like you too. I never thought I would have a family again, but you wormed your way into my heart almost as easily as Alex did. I'm not supporting you for Alex. In fact, if she ever found out about this she'd probably kick my ass. I'm doing this for you, because I don't want to lose both of my girls to this stupid psychopath. But I need you to promise me something."

"What?" Kara asked breathlessly.

"If this doesn't work and we lose Alex, I need you to promise me I won't lose you too."

"I don't know if I can promise that," Kara said quietly.

"Just remember, even Supergirl can't save everybody." Kara nodded.

"I can promise I will try my best," she said. Maggie nodded with the compromise.

"That's good enough, for now," she said. They both lost themselves in their thoughts as they continued their vigil.

* * *

Lucy looked down at the files she had in front of her. Along with the medical documentation and impartial scientific theories and hypotheses she asked for were several statements about whether they should or should not let Kara do this. She sighed, closing the folders and leaning back in the chair before looking across the desk. J'onn was watching her intently.

"I assume you've read all these?" she asked, motioning to the files in front of her. He nodded, his face impartial. "I know you're reading my thoughts right now."

"I'm trying not to," he told her with a small smile, "but you're broadcasting so loudly it's hard not to hear." Lucy smiled back at him.

"I'll try to keep things quiet," she said before turning serious again. "I'd like to hear your thoughts." J'onn sighed, pulling the files toward him.

"They all agree on one thing," he started, "if Kara can survive, this is Alex's best chance."

"They also agree that's a very big if," Lucy said, closing her eyes and massaging the headache away. "And then her best chance is still in the low twenties, with the possibility of added complications down the line. How can we make that decision?"

"You are forgetting one very important factor," he said just as someone knocked on the door. He waved in Dr. Hamilton, who had another file in her hands.

"Here's the proposal," Hamilton said, handing the folder to J'onn.

"You think we should head to the Bunker to do this?" J'onn asked, skimming the pages before handing the folder off to Lucy.

"We'll need to weaken her," Hamilton said tiredly. "Either we expose her to Kyrptonite or we have her solar flare. Personally, I think the Bunker is the best choice. That way we can monitor, limit, and adjust her exposure as needed, although I'm sure she would be willing to solar flare if that's what it takes."

"I agree with your assessment," he told her. "I'll inform Director Eddy."

"We'll need to convert one of the containment cells into a temporary living quarters," Hamilton told him.

"Living quarters?" Lucy asked. "How long do you expect this to take?"

"When Dr. Storm performed the procedure on himself it took five days," Hamilton said. "When he performed it on Alex it took two weeks. We really don't know how long it will take. And that's just the first part."

"The first part?" Lucy asked, opening the folder and looking at the papers.

"Once she's stable," Hamilton surmised for her, "we activate the trap. Once the trap is active, we cut off the Kryptonite, put her under the sun lamps, and pray to God that her healing can counter the trap. If she survives that, we have to weaken her again to draw blood and figure out how she did it and hopefully find a way to treat Agent Danvers."

"Which is going to take some time," Lucy said. Hamilton nodded. "Why are you requesting Agent Danvers be moved?"

"I think it will be in everyone's best interests to have the sisters together."

"That is a given," J'onn said. "I don't think there's a containment cell large enough for what we need. Perhaps we should look into converting a storage unit instead."

"That should work," Hamilton said. "I'll draw up a list and get with Director Eddy." J'onn nodded.

"Wait a minute!" Lucy screamed. "We haven't even decided if we're going to do this." J'onn smiled sadly.

"The decision was already made," he told her. "Kara made it."

"So what was this?" Lucy asked, even though she knew he was right.

"A desperate attempt to keep one of the sisters safe if there was no way it would work," he said gently. "This proved there was a chance, even as slight as it is."

"And Kara's going to take it," Lucy finished.

"I'm going to make sure she understands the risks," Hamilton told them, "and I'm sure Dr. Danvers is going to try to talk her out of it every step of the way."

"But it's Alex," Lucy said knowingly. "Risk one sister to save them both." Both J'onn and Hamilton nodded.


	33. Chapter 33

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Are you sure about this sweetie?" Eliza tried once again to stop her youngest from doing the dangerous procedure. "There are so many things that could go wrong."

"And one right thing that can come of this," Kara said, squeezing her sister's hand tightly. It had been a few days since they agreed to try the procedure. They were still putting the finishing touches on the storeroom, but Hamilton wanted to transport Alex now. Her condition had continued to deteriorate. Her lungs had completely shut down and her heart was starting to fail. All her other organs were showing signs of strain. Thankfully, modern medicine was more than enough to compensate for a body that was failing, but Hamilton didn't want to take the risk and wait until the room was ready.

"Alright," Hamilton said as the oxygen was switched to the portable unit. "On my count. One. Two. Three." The medical unit quickly lifted Alex and slid her to the gurney. The nurses began connecting Alex to the mobile devices while Dr. Hamilton studied the readouts. "Everything is looking good."

"Breathing is steady," a nurse said after double checking the intubation tube wasn't disrupted in the move.

"All drips have been transferred to the gurney," another said after moving the last IV to the portable stand.

"Inform the driver we're on our way," Hamilton ordered as the nurses finished their preparations by tucking a thick blanket around Alex's body. A few minutes later they were pushing her gurney through the halls of the DEO. The agents lined the halls as they passed, honoring their fallen comrade. They passed more than one damp eye. "All right. Easy." They carefully loaded her up in the ambulance. Kara and Eliza hoped in after Dr. Hamilton.

"Where's Maggie?" Kara asked when the doors closed. The ambulance started moving along with four other SUVs.

"There's not enough room in the ambulance," Hamilton said. "She said she'd meet us there, along with everyone else." Kara nodded, grasping her sister's hand gently as the ambulance moved into traffic. She glanced up, tilting her head to the side before smiling brightly.

"What?" Eliza asked.

"Maggie," Kara smiled. Eliza and Hamilton looked at each other in confusion before they heard the sirens. A few minutes later the convoy had a police escort. They blocked traffic and cleared the road giving the group smooth sailing through the city. The police cruisers pulled away once they were outside the city, leaving only one car to join the convoy.

"I'll just be up front updating Dr. Kim," Hamilton said, checking the readouts one more time before leaving the family together. Eliza looked at her daughters before reaching over and grabbing their entwined hands.

"Please don't try and stop me," Kara begged. "I need everyone if I'm going to get through this."

"I hate this plan," Eliza admitted. Kara nodded.

"Me too," she agreed, "but it's the best one we've got."

"Just for the record, Alex would hate this plan too." Kara chuckled. "She doesn't want to live like this, you know."

"Like what?" Eliza gestured to the machines around them.

"Kept alive by a machine without any hope for recovery," Eliza elaborated. "Did she ever talk to you about her final wishes?" Kara shook her head. "She probably didn't want to worry you."

"I can't believe she told you." Eliza grimaced.

"She didn't. But she does have her final wishes recorded in her medical file. No extraordinary means." Kara shuddered. "She was very specific in her limits. We've already crossed her line."

"You can't threaten to kill her just to stop me from doing this," Kara said hotly. "I will take this to Lillian Luthor herself if there's even the slightest chance this will help Alex."

"I know sweetie," Eliza said, pulling Kara into a hug. "We all know, which is the reason everybody is going along with this plan. If you're going to do this, you're going to do it with us by your side. But if this doesn't work, we'll have no choice but to stop the machines and let Alex go."

"It's what Alex wants," Kara cried.

"I can't help but think I'll lose both of my daughters," Eliza admitted, tears flowing down her face. "Please, Kara, don't follow Alex into death. She would want you to live a long and happy life. For her if not for yourself." Kara nodded.

"I promise I will try," she told her, "but I can't stop. I have to see this through."

"I know." They held each other as their tears mixed together.

"We're ten minutes out," Hamilton called back to them. She gave them a few minutes to compose themselves before jumping in the back again. "All her readings look good. Looks like I was worried for nothing."

"Don't jinx it now," Kara mumbled, wiping away her tears. Hamilton smiled at her as the ambulance pulled up to the entrance. Dr. Kim was waiting with his medical staff.

"Dr. Hamilton," he greeted as they pulled the gurney out. "How did our patient do?"

"Vitals held steady the entire trip," Hamilton said as she followed the gurney out. She quickly called out Alex's latest vitals. Dr. Kim nodded and his team began moving her inside. Hamilton turned to Kara. "Give us a few minutes to get her settled. I'll come find you." Kara nodded as she watched Alex disappear from view.

"Let's go check out the room," Winn suggested. James nodded and together they pulled a reluctant Kara away. Maggie joined them. "Nice. Looks like the fiber optics have finally been put in."

"What?" Maggie asked, pulling herself out of her thoughts and focusing on the room for the first time. It was one of the larger storage rooms, although it looked even larger with everything moved out. Construction crews were working around the clock to turn the spartan room into something livable. They reframed the exterior concrete walls, adding additional electrical outlets and heating ducts that just weren't necessary before. They even carved out a small office and sleeping area out of the large space, which still left more than enough room for the Danvers sisters.

"If you want any specific paint color, now is the time to ask," James said, surveying the work intently.

"It's almost ready?" Kara asked.

"They're still working on the emitters," Winn said, pointing at the group of engineers on the far side of the room. "Once they get everything synced they'll finish drywalling, throw on a coat of paint, add some carpet, and poof. Home sweet home."

"Carpet?" Maggie asked. There was no carpet in the rest of the base.

"More like rugs," a voice called out. They turned to find Lena walking toward them, her escorts waiting patiently by the door. "Lots and lots of rugs."

"Lena," Kara smiled slightly and went to hug her friend. "Not that I don't appreciate everything you're doing, but what's happening here? I don't need rugs."

"You don't," Lena countered, "we do. You will probably be asleep or unconscious the whole time. Lucky you. We mere mortals, however, will be stuck in this room for the foreseeable future. We might as well at least be comfortable."

"You don't have to stay," Kara said. Lena scoffed.

"Do you think I'm going to let my best friend risk her life without at least being here for her?" Lena asked. "I knew as soon as I saw Dr. Danvers's proposal."

"How did you know it was me?" Kara asked. Lena shook her head.

"A desperate attempt to save Alex?" Lena scoffed. "Who else would it be?" Kara smiled then looked around.

"The DEO doesn't have the budget for this kind of change," she said, looking back at Lena, who smirked. "Unless L-Corp is getting involved again."

"The science behind DNA resequencing is the intellectual property of L-Corp," she grinned. "The procedure was developed in an L-Corp lab. The nanobots, which we will be using to administer the cure to Alex, are property of L-Corp. It seems our partnership is still going strong. And if, as CEO of L-Corp, I want to authorize additional funding to bring living standards up to an acceptable level, I can."

"You might want to upgrade their kitchen," Kara said, smiling brightly, "because the food here sucks. And Eddy really wants a cappuccino machine."

"Consider it done," Lena said, before her smile faltered. "In reality, we're going to be spending a lot of time in this room. We're estimating two weeks if everything goes well. Anywhere from a month to half a year if there are problems. You, in particular, will not be able to leave the room until we're done, however that turns out. Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure," Kara said immediately. Lena nodded sadly.

"I plan to spend as much time in here with you as possible," she said, "and I want it to be as comfortable for you and anyone else in here as possible. Hence the upgrade."

"Thank you," Kara whispered, holding her friend close. "I appreciate it. I'm sure Alex will too." Kara pulled away. "Alex. She will be in here with me, right?"

"Relax little Danvers," Maggie said, joining the conversation. "Once all the groundwork is finished there will be a place for Alex right by your side. But that also means I'm staying here too."

"Me too," Winn and James said at the same time. They both looked at each other. "Jinx," they said again.

"What I'm sure they mean," J'onn said as he came into the room, "is that we all will be here for you and stay as much as we can while still keeping the city safe."

"Right," Winn mumbled while James nodded his head.

"What about the National City DEO?" Kara asked.

"Director Lane has agreed to stay and help while we perform the procedure," he told them. "We will be sharing duties until this situation is resolved."

"And don't think you can forget about us," Dontay added as he and Eddy walked in. "We're all here for you. After all, as one crazy alien taught us, we're stronger together."

"El Mayarah," Kara whispered.

"El Mayarah," Maggie echoed, linking her hands with the hero.

* * *

"I don't want you to use the Medusa Virus," Kara said out of the blue. All the talk around her stopped.

"Kara? Sweetie?" Eliza questioned. Kara shook her head, her eyes never leaving her sister.

"Save the Medusa Virus and the nanobots for Alex," she said. "I want everything done the way Storm did it. The way he did it to Alex."

"That's extremely painful," Eliza said hesitantly. "There are other, less painful ways."

"I don't care," Kara said as she watched her sister intently. "I can take the pain. But I can't take the chance that using the Virus changes something with the procedure. I won't take the risk." Eliza sighed but knew she couldn't change Kara's mind. Instead she nodded and began going over the procedure again, adjusting as needed. She didn't look up until Maggie entered the med bay.

"Dr. Kim says everything is ready," she said, passing on the message. "The medical equipment passed the final checks, the emitters are synced up and fully functional, and the sunbed just finished it's diagnostic. Everything's ready." She turned to Kara. "It's time." Kara nodded, looking out the window into the sunset.

"I just need a minute," she said as she left the room. The other's nodded as they began preparing Alex to be moved once again. Kara headed outside, taking a quick flight until she was on the top of one of the nearby hills.

"It's beautiful isn't it." Kara gasped at the unexpected voice. J'onn took a few more strides so they were standing next to each other. "Out here, in the desert, it reminds me so much of home it hurts. Especially sunset, when the sun bathes the land in red rays."

"This might be the last time I see the sun," Kara said, voicing her fears for the first time. "What if this doesn't work? What if I can't do this?"

"Then we mourn," he told her simply, "and go on with our lives. The world doesn't stop just because we lose someone." He turned his face to look at her. "I should know. "

"I do too," Kara said quietly, "I just don't think I can do that again." J'onn sighed, turning back to the setting sun.

"When I first arrived here I didn't think this place could ever be home," he told her sadly. "Home is where those you love are, and I didn't think I could ever love again. It took me three hundred years and a promise before I started opening my heart again. But, eventually, I moved on. And so will you." Kara smiled. Together they stood and watched as the last rays of light faded away. "It's time." She nodded and followed him inside. They went to the newly converted storage room.

"Wow," Kara said, seeing the completed room for the first time. There were large couches along every wall, enough for everybody to sit comfortably. Along the walls were dozens of TV's in every size. Multiple gaming systems were set up along with stacks of board games and puzzles they could break out if anyone was bored.

"We went with yellow," Winn said, pointing at the walls, "because we knew you'd miss the sun."

"Thank you," Kara said breathlessly. It was definitely the best hospital room Kara had ever seen, but it was still a hospital room. Looking down the wall she could see her sister's bed dominating the far corner, surrounded by even more machines than before. She looked to Eliza.

"We don't know what's going to fail next," she said quietly, "but we're ready for anything." Kara nodded before glancing beyond Alex. A door led off to the office that Dr. Hamilton, Eliza, and Lena were all claiming as theirs. A glance behind her showed a similar door to a sleeping area. Kara used her X-Ray vision to examine the room. It held several bunk beds, more utilitarian than she expected, but just as comfortable to friends and family who refused to leave. Finally, she took a deep breath and examined her section of the room.

The sun bed was set up in the corner opposite Alex, ready to be used at a moment's notice, but her hospital bed caught her eye. It was so normal, so simple, that for a moment Kara didn't think she could do this.

"You don't have to do this," Maggie said, encircling her from behind and hugging her tightly. "No one here will think less of you."

"I will," Kara said bravely, squeezing Maggie's arms before pulling away. "I'm ready."

"You need to change," Jeremiah came over, handing Kara a gown. She quickly did. "Go lie down. Once you're ready we're going to turn on the emitters." Kara did as requested, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath once she was on the bed.

"I'm ready," she said, not opening her eyes. She could feel when the emitters turned on, a sudden weakness falling over her. She opened her eyes in a panic, calming when she saw Lena smiling at her.

"We have multiple emitters around the room," Lena told her, "which is much more effective. It also means there is much less Kryptonite being used then if we went for a single emitter. Hopefully that means we can limit the negative reactions, but it's never been tested before."

"It's working," Kara said. "I've never felt that weak that quickly."

"We're holding steady at twelve percent," Winn said, checking his tablet. "How do you feel?"

"Not too bad," Kara told them. "The initial wave was horrible, but it's just been steady since. Normally I just get weaker and weaker until the Kryptonite is removed."

"That's what I was going for," Winn celebrated briefly.

"We might need to increase the intensity depending on how your body reacts," Hamilton said, approaching her bedside calmly, "but I think we're ready to begin."

"Let's do this," Kara said. Hamilton nodded and gestured for her staff. "What's first?"

"A small surgery," Jeremiah said, approaching her bed while Hamilton prepared. He held up a sample tray. Inside a small, pill like object rested. "This will be surgically implanted in the base of your spine. This is the trap."

"This is the one Dr. Storm created?" Kara asked.

"One of them," Eliza told her. "He researched dozens of traps, but he never assigned any names to their creation process."

"Probably afraid we'd find them and undo all his hard work," James said from across the room. Kara smiled.

"We think this one will trigger the fever," Eliza said.

"You're giving me the fever?" Kara asked. Eliza nodded. "Why?"

"We are not giving you anything we don't already have an antidote for," Eliza said sternly. Kara nodded, knowing that she would never change Eliza's mind on this. "That limits our choices to the fever or sensory deprivation. It was decided that sensory deprivation would be to reminiscent of…"

"The phantom zone," Kara whispered. Eliza nodded.

"The fever shouldn't be too bad," Jeremiah told her. "Kryptonians run a bit hotter than humans anyway, so you should be able to tolerate it easier. And if it gets too bad we have the antidote."

"Don't give it to me until you're sure my healing isn't working," Kara told them sternly. They nodded reluctantly. "The surgery first. Then what?"

"The serum," Hamilton answered. The doctors and scientists had gone over everything before, but this would be the first time many of the people in the room were hearing the details. Hamilton decided to give them a full run down. "The serum will dissolve the trap, spreading it throughout your body. Then the acid will break your DNA strands, allowing the trap to insert itself. Finally, an electric shock will cement your DNA back together."

"And I'll be a walking timebomb like Alex," Kara said determinedly. Hamilton nodded. Kara looked at Eliza. "Will it hurt?"

"Not the surgery," she assured her child. "You'll be anesthetized during the operation. But once that wears off, you'll feel everything. His notes say even morphine doesn't help." She held Kara's hands tightly. "Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" Kara breathed deeply before looking her in the eye.

"Yes."

Time lost all meaning after that. The last thing Kara remembered clearly was Hamilton stepping towards her with a sedative. Then reality blurred. She could hear the voices of her friends and family, feel their touch on her skin, tried to reassure them in any way she could. Whenever she was able to open her eyes, she locked onto the pale form of her sister. Alex, even on death's doorstep, gave her the strength to continue. Finally, just when she thought she wasn't strong enough, the pain lessened.

She was barely awake a day when the trap triggered and she broke out in fever. She was immediately moved to the sun bed, the emitters turned off as her body was soaked in solar radiation. She could feel her body trying to repair itself even as she was being pulled apart from the inside. Finally, one side won, though Kara wasn't sure which side. She was pretty sure she still alive though, it hurt too much to be dead. She opened her eyes to find herself back in her hospital bed. The bed had been pushed as close to Alex's as it could be, and her hand linked with her sister's limp one.

"Welcome back little Danvers," Maggie said, her hands surrounding both Kara's and Alex's. Kara blinked before she realized Maggie was holding the sisters' hands together.

"Did it work?" Kara croaked out. Maggie nodded. James held a straw to her lips and she drank greedily. Her eyes never left Maggie.

"You did your part," she said, tears in her eyes. "Your healing abilities countered the trap. Dr. Hamilton and the Danvers are synthesizing a cure based on that as we speak. It should be ready within the hour. Now Alex just needs to do her part."

"Good," Kara said, her eyes drifting closed.


	34. Chapter 34

AN: First of all, thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favorited the story. It really makes my day to hear what you guys think and the story ideas are just amazing. Someone should really jump on those.

So now my ending monologue. This story was first for me in many ways. I already explained all that so I won't go into it again. Like I already said, at first I was intending to write a little fluff piece centering on the sisters, Alex getting hurt and Kara helping her through it. Before I started writing, I had the basic idea up to about the second trap, and then, somehow everything would work out and it would be happily ever after. As I began flushing out the idea more, the beginning started to take shape, and the middle, but for some reason the ending always stayed in the somehow, magically, everything will work out stage. I actually started writing, and got about halfway, to the second trap, when I realized I had no idea how the story was going to end.

That's when the fluff turned into something more serious. I realized that Edith had to die, to show the seriousness of the situation, and Storm had to die, to show that they were on their own with no last minute saves coming from anyone else. I also realized Kara had to be the one to ultimately save Alex. I think, overall, the last part of the story came into focus nicely, and you would never know it was never really planned out, except I just told you.

But that left another decision that I have been debating the last few months, as I put the finishing touches on and polished it up. Does it work? Is Alex saved?

I started this during the break between season 2 and 3. We are now almost complete with season 3. I have been working on this almost a year. A lot can happen in a year. When I started, everything was sunshine and unicorns and of course Alex would be saved. At the year passed, stuff happened and it went from sunshine and unicorns to the world and everyone in it must die. Alex is not going to survive that world. Then it started getting good again and ending up between those two extremes.

I actually developed three different endings, based on how my life was going at the time. I couldn't decide which one to use, so I just decided to write all three. Thus, my last first with this story. Multiple endings. The good, the middle, and the bad. Decide for yourself which one is best. Enough of my ramblings.

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"What the hell Danvers," Maggie asked when she saw Kara slowly make her way towards them. Kara winced as she sat down at their regular booth. "Does Hamilton know you're here?"

"I'm fine," she said, waving to the waitress. The girl smiled at them and proceeded to take their orders. When she left, Kara turned to Maggie. "I'm just a little sore. It's not like I haven't blown out my powers before. Besides, she knows about our weekly lunch dates. If she didn't want me to come she wouldn't have released me yet. She would've just waited an hour."

"True," Maggie said, conceding the point. "You're sure you're okay though? I was worried when that thing ate you."

"Ugh," Kara cringed at the thought. "Don't remind me. I'm still getting the smell out of my hair."

"Doesn't smell that bad to me," Maggie said. Kara glared at her. "Anyway, it was funny how you burst out of that thing's stomach. And the way you beat it down with its own rib bone. Classic."

"Well, it shouldn't have swallowed me," Kara said, but her eyes dimmed like they always did whenever she was forced to hurt something. "I wish I didn't have to hurt it," she admitted.

"I know," Maggie reached for her hand, holding it gently until the waitress brought their food. "I feel the same way every time I have to draw my gun. But sometimes there is no other way." They ate in silence, each lost in their thoughts. "I heard some news from Gotham. Tash is being released today."

"Really?" Kara asked, brightening up. "Maybe we can go see him?"

"I think he would like that," Maggie said as they turned to their desserts. They idly chatted as they finished their lunch until the sound of sirens made them pause. They looked around the small diner as the sounds kept getting louder and louder.

"Police chase?" the cook asked, coming from the kitchen.

"Must be," the waitress said, moving behind the counter. Out the window they could see a car barreling towards them. A car that was making no attempt to stop.

"I think taking cover is a good idea," Maggie said, pulling Kara out of the booth. The other patrons copied them, moving behind the counter just as the car crashed through the front window. Everybody ducked as glass flew toward them.

"Don't come any closer!" the driver screamed, climbing out of the ruined car and pointing his gun at the group. "I've got hostages." That was enough to get the police to back off momentarily.

"Really?" Kara groaned as the gunman waved his gun back and forth.

"Maybe you should have listened to Hamilton and went straight home," Maggie whispered, her eyes never leaving the gunman. He was obviously panicking, and Maggie knew the situation could turn deadly in an instant.

"How do you know that's what she said," Kara whispered back, wishing she had her powers right now. Maggie gave her an eye roll before refocusing on the gunman. "Divide and conquer?"

"Divide and conquer," Maggie agreed, recognizing the play from their time spent in Gotham. She slipped out of sight as soon as the gunman turned away. Kara gave her a few seconds to create some space before she stood up timidly, hands in the air.

"Hi." His focus was immediately on her.

"Get back!" he shouted. Kara shook her head.

"I know you don't want to do this," she said, as she started slowly moving away from the rest of the hostages. "I know, this wasn't what you planned to do. This was just a mistake. But it's not too late to stop. Nobody has been hurt."

"You will be if you don't shut up!" the gunman shouted. He started waving the gun back and forth again.

"Put the gun down and everything will be okay," Kara continued.

"Stop talking!" the gunman shouted, the gun trembling in his tight grasp. "Say anything else and I'll shoot you just to shut you up."

"That's not very nice," Kara frowned, lowering her hands. The gunman screamed and was about to pull the trigger when suddenly he was knocked aside like he was nothing.

"What the hell Kara?" Kara looked up at the voice, wincing when she saw the not so amused face of her sister. "He could have killed you."

"Maggie had me covered," Kara started, looking to her left. "Right Maggie?"

"I was actually held up," she said, throwing a second gunman nobody knew about to the ground in front of Alex. The first gunman was slowly getting to his feet. Alex rolled her eyes and put him down again with a swift kick to his head. "How did you even get in here?" Alex pointed outside to her motorcycle lying on the ground near what was left of the window. The front wheel was still spinning.

"I take it the assessment went well?" Kara asked, pointing to the field uniform Alex was wearing as she helped the waitress to her feet while Maggie gestured to the cops. They soon had the criminals in handcuffs and were helping the victims out of the ruined diner.

"I'm back on active duty as a field agent, yes," Alex said sharply. "Which is no reason for you to get sloppy." She waited until the last of the patrons were escorted out before turning on her sister. "You have no powers right now. Is this really the time to go looking for trouble?"

"Trouble came to us," Kara defended herself while the three of them carefully made their way outside. "We were just enjoying a nice meal when the car smashed into the diner. It's not like we planned this."

"You're right," Alex sighed heavily. "I've just never been so scared before in my life."

"We have," Maggie commented before pulling Kara away. "They need our statements before we go." Kara nodded, and Alex watched as they walked to the police officers. They greeted Maggie before taking their statements. Alex watched as she thought about the last year and a half of her life and how much has changed. "Hey," Maggie's voice broke through her thoughts about Dr. Storm. "Where did you go?"

"Just thinking," Alex shrugged as she followed Maggie and Kara away from the diner.

"About Storm?" Kara asked knowingly. Alex nodded. Her thoughts drifted to Dr. Storm more than she would like to admit. Thankfully, whatever weird pull he had over her died with him, but that just left Alex even more confused than she already was in regard to him. It was one of the main issues she had to overcome before she was cleared for field work. Even now, she still had bi-weekly appointments with Dr. Wales.

"It wasn't all bad was it?" Alex asked. When she woke up after getting the cure, she didn't remember much that happened. Her last solid memories had been before her abduction. It scared her, knowing that over a year of her life could be taken away in an instant. Most of her memories had come back, but there were still times when her memories were hazy and disjointed.

"No," Maggie replied as they made their way through the park. "There were some good times mixed in there too. In fact, there's one thing I would like to recreate from that time." She stopped and got down on one knee. "Alex Danvers. You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. You are beautiful and brave and smart and fearless and so selfless. Every second I'm on this Earth I want to spend with you. I love you more than I ever thought possible. I want to hold you in my arms and never let go." She slipped the ring on Alex's finger. "Will you marry me?"

"How did you get this?" Alex asked, recognizing Eliza's wedding band. She looked over at Kara, who was buzzing with excitement.

"I flew to Midvale and got it," she admitted, "you know, before being digested."

"Maggie," Alex said, turning her attention back to her girlfriend. "I thought that was just a dream."

"It is a dream," Maggie told her. "A dream we can make come true. But I need an answer. You're kinda leaving me hanging here."

"Yes," Alex smiled brightly. "Always yes." She pulled Maggie up and kissed her hard, oblivious to the cheering Kara and the other strangers in the park were giving her. When she finally pulled away they both had huge grins on their faces.

"We have so much we need to do," Kara said, locking arms with both of them as she began pulling them toward their apartment. "You need to call Eliza and tell her right away. She's been waiting for this call for a while now. She'll be so relieved. And J'onn too. You'll need time off for a real honeymoon. I'm sure that won't be any problem. He was happy to give you time before."

"Before?" Alex asked, but Kara was lost in her own world. Maggie smirked.

"I think little Danvers is a bit excited," she said. Alex smiled.

"Well you know. Girls and their dream weddings."

"What is your dream wedding?" Maggie asked.

"Anything with you in it," Alex replied, leaning in for an awkward kiss around her sister. Kara finally stopped when they reached their apartment complex.

"How do you feel about a spring wedding?" she asked. Maggie just smirked while Alex rolled her eyes. Kara rolled her eyes as they started kissing again. "Can't you two wait for the honeymoon? I'm trying to make magic happen here."

"So are we," Alex said as she pulled Maggie close. Kara rolled her eyes as she pulled them into the apartment, smiling the whole time. After so much darkness everything was finally coming into the light. She couldn't wait.

The end. But how about this one.


	35. Chapter 35

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

"Miss Grant?" Kara asked timidly, knocking quietly on the glass door.

"Kiera," Cat said sharply, not bothering to look up. "So you do remember you actually work here. Although that may be called into question soon."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Kara said sullenly. Cat glanced up abruptly at the tone of her former assistant.

"Come in and shut the door," she instructed, moving from behind her desk to the couch. Kara did as instructed. Cat patted the cushion next to her and Kara sat down immediately. She held out a piece of paper to Cat. "What's this?"

"My resignation," Kara said as Cat read the paper. She remained quiet while Cat read it. Then she read it again.

"Kara," she started softly, "I know I sounded a bit harsh right then, but there is no reason for this. You have been working out of the office for some time now and your pieces are good. There's still room for improvement, but they're getting better each time. I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement."

"Thank you, Miss Grant," Kara smiled weakly, "but that's not the reason why I have to leave. I love working here, working for you, but right now my family needs me."

"Your sister," Cat said knowingly. Kara looked up abruptly.

"How did you know?" she asked. Cat scoffed.

"I might be the Queen of all media," she said, "but in my heart I'm still a reporter. I've smelled a story in you since before you came out."

"Umm," Kara started awkwardly. "I'm not gay."

"As Supergirl," Cat finished. Kara closed her eyes.

"I thought you gave that up," she said, not even bothering to deny it. Cat shrugged.

"I'll give you credit," she admitted. "You did have me fooled at first. Not many people can. But when the shapeshifter was revealed, I realized I had been tricked. I thought about firing you then, but when I realized the lengths you were willing to go to, I decided to let it slide. If having a crappy job for an overly demanding boss meant that much to you, who was I to stop you."

"Thank you," Kara smiled at her. Cat returned it briefly.

"I took you under my wing because I can see the amazing woman you will become," she continued. "The amazing woman you are." She smiled down at Kara before retaking her seat at her desk. She went back to the layouts while she continued to talk. "I've tolerated your absences because you've always met the deadline. I see no reason why that can't continue."

"I'm leaving National City," Kara admitted. Cat looked up.

"May I ask why?" she inquired.

"My sister," Kara told her. "She was very sick. She's better now, but there are lingering problems from her illness. She needs help. More help than Eliza can give her alone." She sighed. "We're going home."

"I see," Cat said, sounding genuinely sorry. "Is there anything that can be done?"

"Not at this time," Kara said, her eyes watering. She wiped the tears away angrily. "We have all the help we need, but there's nothing that the doctors can do for her right now. We can only hope time helps."

"I would be agreeable to continuing this working arrangement in an even more limited field," Cat offered. "Four stories a year is the minimum requirement for a Catco reporter. All can be done via email. You will never need to leave Midvale."

"Thanks for the offer, but I can't allow myself to be distracted," Kara said tiredly. "Alex needs me right now, and I need to be there for her." Cat nodded.

"Can't blame a girl for trying," she said, rounding her desk once more to sit next to Kara. "The offer will stand for a very long time. And I'll continually tempt you with little tidbits of information, until you ask me to stop."

"Thank you, Miss Grant," Kara said, nervously fidgeting with her purse.

"I must know, though," Cat started again, "off the record, is this the end of Supergirl?"

"No," Kara shook her head. "Not the end. J'onn, the shapeshifter, has been covering for me for a few months. He'll keep doing that. And if anything too bad is happening, he knows how to get in touch with me. I'll come and help if I'm needed. But I can't be here every day."

"I can respect that," Cat told her gently. "I can even understand that." Kara nodded, fiddling with her purse even more.

"I have something for you," Kara finally said, pulling out a watch and handing it to Cat. "I was going to change and give it to you as Supergirl, but it's much simpler now."

"It doesn't go with my outfit," Cat said, putting the watch down quickly. Kara smiled.

"I'll have Winn work on that," she promised before turning serious. "It's a direct link to me. If you're ever in trouble, hit that button," she reached for the watch and flipped the head to reveal her crest, "and I'll come."

"Thank you, Kara," Cat said, pulling the watch from Kara's hands and putting it on. "The same goes for me. You have my number. You can call me day or night, for anything, even if it's just to talk." She reached over and pulled Kara into a gentle hug.

"Thank you, Miss Grant," Kara repeated, "for everything."

"Think nothing of it," Cat told the young woman. "But there is one more thing you can do for me."

"What?" Kara asked eagerly. Cat pulled away.

"Call the hobbit and have him come over right away. We need to work on this," she said, pointing to the watch. Kara nodded as she left the office. She detoured to James's office on her way to the roof.

"Make sure you don't do anything too stupid as Guardian," she told him, as he held her close. "I won't be close enough to save you."

"Yeah you will," he told her. "Your spirit will always be here. You will always be here. Besides, you'll be back soon. Alex will get over this and you two will be back terrorizing the criminals of National City in no time." Kara nodded but realistically knew the truth was far worse. Alex had a long road ahead of her. "I'll see you soon," he said when she finally pulled away.

"In a few weeks, right," she said. He nodded.

"Game night with the Danvers," he said with enthusiasm. "Spending the weekend with my favorite family."

"Thank you, James, for everything." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before leaving his office. She went to the roof and took to the skies. Soon she was landing outside her childhood home. "Hey," she greeted everyone as she walked in.

"Hi," Maggie greeted from her place by Alex's side. "How did the talk with Cat Grant go?"

"Surprisingly well," Kara admitted as she crouched down on the other side of Alex's wheelchair. "How are you today Alex?" Alex didn't answer. She was too focused on the picture she was drawing. Kara sighed and looked at Maggie. "When do you have to leave?"

"In a few hours," Maggie reluctantly admitted. "I have to be to work at six." Kara nodded sadly before turning to watch Alex. "I'm looking into transferring to Midvale," she said off-handedly, "but it might take some time for a position to open up. And that's only if I want to continue as a cop. I can always change careers. Something that lets me be close by."

"You shouldn't need to leave your life for this," Kara told her.

"Neither should you," Maggie countered. "Besides, Alex is my life." Kara nodded as she thought back to when everything changed. Dr. Hamilton administered the cure as soon as they developed it, but it was already to late. Alex's brain had already started shutting down, and unlike the rest of her organs, her brain didn't seem to be repairing itself. Alex Danvers suffered brain damage and would never be the same again.

Hamilton ran every test she could think of, none with good results. She could barely control her extremities and would probably be reliant on a wheelchair for the rest of her life. She could only understand very basic things, and only if they were repeated constantly to her, and had yet to speak. The doctor doubted she ever would regain anything resembling normal cognitive abilities. She had the mind of a child in the body of an adult. And it was not likely to change anytime soon.

There was a debate on what to do next. They couldn't keep her in the med bay indefinitely, but a private hospital wasn't secure enough. Eventually Eliza ended the discussion by saying loudly that she would take her daughter home and care for her there. Kara quickly said she'd come home too. Even Lucy somehow managed to get Jeremiah's location transferred to Midvale. The Danvers family was going home.

Of course, they weren't going home empty handed. Alex's new status meant that there were renovations that needed to happen at the house before it was suitable for her needs. Alex herself needed specialized care and equipment. And, of course, the home needed an updated security system before J'onn would approve leaving any of the Danvers there on their own. Things were about to become very difficult for the family, financially speaking, when Lena again let her generosity shine. She funded the renovations herself and made sure that Alex had the best of everything she needed. She even set aside a monthly allowance that more than covered Alex's medical costs.

"You don't need to do this," Kara told her repeatedly, afraid she was taking advantage of their friendship. Lena waved away her concern.

"It's nothing, really," she said. Kara frowned. Lena sighed, pulling up an internal memo from L-Corp on her phone. "You remember all the tech Storm left the DEO?" she asked. Kara nodded. She remembered seeing everything in his lab but realized she hadn't seen any of it since then.

"The DEO gave some of that to you, didn't they?" Kara asked, struggling to remember. Lena nodded.

"To develop by L-Corp into something that has real world applications," she said, handing over her phone so Kara could read the memo. "This is the projected retail value of the bio monitor, the first focus of our thinktank."

"Wow," Kara said, reading the memo quickly. "How many zeroes was that?"

"Enough," Lena told her, "and this was only the first of many products. Even with the profits being shared among several charitable funds and organizations, like we agreed, there is still more than enough coming into my pocket. The profits will more than cover the costs, current and previous, so please, let me do this for her. For you. For your family." Kara had no counter arguments after that, so she let Lena do whatever she wanted. Eliza had tried to argue with the CEO but had even less success than Kara. That's how they found themselves here, back in her childhood home with the best of everything.

"Where'd you go?" Maggie asked, breaking Kara out of her thoughts. She looked at the detective.

"Just thinking about how much my friends have done for us," Kara said honestly. Maggie nodded.

"That's what friends do." Kara smiled and refocused on her sister. "Anyway, I'm not rushing a decision. I'm just keeping my options open." Maggie reached over and gently pushed back some hair that was getting in Alex's eyes. Alex looked up and smiled slightly at her before returning to her masterpiece. The three of them sat in silence until Eliza called them to dinner. Maggie joined the family for dinner but needed to leave immediately after. She wouldn't be gone long though, she was already planning on visiting next weekend.

"I guess it's just us," Kara said as she watched Maggie pull away. Alex looked up and clumsily pushed the paper towards her sister. Kara couldn't make heads or tails out of the smudges on the page, but it obviously meant something to Alex, so Kara treated it as a work of fine art. "Beautiful," Kara praised as she held up the drawing. Alex beamed as she started on her next drawing. Kara smiled at the content look on her sister's face. "It's not so bad," Kara muttered aloud, reaching over for a crayon. Alex looked up, clearly annoyed until she saw who held the other crayon. Watching her face light up, Kara knew she was right where she wanted to be.

The end. Or maybe it could happen like this.


	36. Chapter 36

Warnings and Disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy.

* * *

The sky around National City was angry. Lightning flashed everywhere as the heavens unleashed torrential amounts of rains. Add the fierce winds and it was one of the worst thunderstorms National City had ever seen.

"At least we knew it was coming," Cat mumbled to herself. The meteorologists had been tracking the storm for the last week. They had warned everybody to stay inside, hunker down until the storm was over. Most people took their advice, but not Cat Grant. She did not build her empire by hiding when things got tough. The lightning flashed once more, illuminating the prone figure of a woman hovering outside her window. "Supergirl?" Cat asked, jumping up from her desk.

She rushed to her balcony, opening the doors that she closed due to the weather and stepped out into the storm. The hero was still by the window. "Supergirl!" she yelled over the storm, but either the winds drowned out her voice or the superhero ignored her. She hoped it was the former but felt a coldness fill her that had nothing to do with the weather at the thought that it could be the latter. She quickly flashed back to the afternoons activity, the reason she was still here at Catco in the middle of the night instead of curled up in her very comfortable bed. She sighed, taking a step closer to the hero. "Kara," she whispered.

The hero heard that. She turned, surprised to see the woman on the balcony in the middle of the storm. "Miss Grant?" she asked, landing on the balcony besides her.

"Let's get you inside," Cat insisted, grabbing her arm and dragging her into the warmth and safety of her office. Kara numbly followed, sinking onto the couch. Cat narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything about getting water on her favorite couch. "Let's get you dried off," she said, going into her private bathroom. She emerged with a stack full of towels. She draped one over the superhero before using another to dry herself. Kara impassively followed her lead. Once Cat was as dry as she could be she grabbed more towels and started drying off her former assistant.

"Thank you," Kara mumbled, her own hands falling lax by her side. Cat gathered the wet towels and threw them back in the bathroom before sitting next to the hero. She watched her silently for a minute before speaking.

"I'm sorry about your sister." That drew an immediate reaction. Kara turned her head to watch her.

"You were at the funeral," she said tightly. Cat nodded.

"You are very important to me," Cat told her offhand, "so the people who are important to you, are important to me." Kara nodded numbly, and Cat thought back a few hours to the afternoon. They had kept the death of Alex Danvers quiet, just a small announcement in the paper that didn't even list any arrangements. But being hard never deterred Cat Grant. A couple phone calls and she was heading out to the funeral of the woman she had met only a handful of times.

She had never felt so out of place before, and not because she was rich and powerful and Alex Danvers was common. No, it was because of the faces around her. The sad, mourning faces that she knew too well but never had any names attached to them. The faces that were constantly around whenever Supergirl was fighting. The faces that were constantly fighting to keep the city safe. The faces she knew but never thought about. The faces that had lost one of their own.

She was overwhelmed with emotion, more than she had experienced in the last few years. She looked up to where Kara was sitting, surrounded by her friends and family. At least most of those faces had names. Their mother, Eliza. Alex's fiancée, Maggie, who was obviously trying to stay strong for Kara even though she was dealing with her own grief. Kara's friends James and Winn. Their boss, Hank Henshaw, whom she knew was the alien shapeshifter. She was surprised when she saw Lena Luthor in the inner circle. At least that explained how Kara got all those exclusive interviews with the latest Luthor. She smiled sadly at the thought and turned her eyes again to the woman she came to support. She was about to go up to her, to say her condolences and offer her support when big blue eyes suddenly locked on hers. The pain in those eyes was overwhelming and it nearly knocked her off her feet. Instead she turned around, got right back in her car, and headed back to Catco.

She locked herself in her office, cancelled all her appointments, and began flushing out an idea that came to her at the funeral. Everyday heroes. And the first segment would be a tribute to Alex Danvers.

"I appreciated you being there," Kara said, breaking Cat out of her reverie. Cat blushed.

"I would have come up," she shook her head, amending her words, "I should have come up to you, but you didn't need me there."

"I do," Kara said immediately, focusing on the older woman for the first time. "I do need you. You have helped me so much I can't even begin to describe."

"I know," Cat assured her. "You've helped me too. And not just with saving my life. You've helped me become a better person." She rose and approached the desk, grabbing the layout before handing it to Kara. "I had this idea at the funeral. Everyday heroes doing amazing things. I thought the first edition could be a segment in your sister's honor."

"She would like that," Kara said, skimming the proposed article before laughing. "Actually, she would hate that. She would say something about that not helping her keep her secret identity a secret and it is just making her job harder."

"She doesn't need to keep her secret now," Cat said softly, taking back the layout.

"She would be honored," Kara said quietly, tears forming in her eyes. She glanced uncertainly around the office. "Maybe the second edition could be the death of Supergirl?"

"What?" Cat gasped, sitting next to her former assistant once more.

"I can't do this anymore," Kara said, before laughing. "Do you know why there even is a Supergirl?"

"The plane," Cat said solemnly. Kara nodded.

"You asked me once why I waited so long to help people. There were fires and floods and natural disasters where I could have saved lives. Crime running rampant. People getting hurt because they were at the wrong space at the wrong time. I could have helped so many people, but I chose not to. I said it was because I wasn't ready, but that was a half truth at best. I never helped because Alex begged me not to. She didn't want me to expose myself, to risk myself. So I didn't. I hid in the shadows for her."

"She was on the plane," Cat said, understanding filling her eyes. Kara sighed.

"She is the reason Supergirl exists," she confirmed. "I wasn't even thinking about any of the other hundred people on the plane, only her. And then, the secret was out. And she was mad at me for exposing myself, for saving her, because now I was the one in danger, only I didn't realize how much. If she had asked me to stop that night, I would have."

"Oh Kara," Cat reached out and held her hand gently.

"Alex has always been my strength. Without her, I don't think I can do this. I don't think I want to do this. This will be the last time I wear this suit." Kara looked at her mentor. "But you've always been my conscience. My guide. You were as much a part of Supergirl as Alex was, so it didn't seem right to leave without saying goodbye."

"Leave?" Cat asked sharply. Kara nodded.

"I need time," she admitted. "Time to find my place in this world. Time to find a balance without Alex." Cat nodded. She had expected this eventually. Even she, Cat Grant, Queen of all media, needed to take a break every once in a while.

"Where will you go?" Cat asked quietly. Kara shrugged.

"Here, there," she said unconvincingly, "everywhere and nowhere all at once." She sighed. "I'll go home first, make sure Eliza's okay, but then, who knows. Before my cousin became Superman, he went through his own wandering phase. I thought I would be able to skip that, but maybe I can't. Maybe, that's what I need."

"Will you come back?" Cat asked, her eyes tearing up for the first time. Kara only shrugged. "Well, when you do decide to come back, you will have a job here waiting for you. And if you ever need anyone to talk to…"

"Thank you, Miss Grant," Kara told her sincerely, "for everything." She nodded and followed Kara to the door. A second later the superhero was out of sight. Cat let her tears fall for a minute before refocusing on her work. She spent the rest of the night at her desk and had nearly finished her proposal when the weak light of dawn finally broke through the storm clouds. Cat looked up, stretched her muscles as she made her way to her balcony. She opened the doors wide, breathing in the scent of renewal that followed the big rainstorms, before something caught her eye. Sitting in one of her chairs, folded up nicely, was the suit, the S shining brightly for the world to see. Cat took it and held it close until she heard her department heads gathering outside her office. She brought it inside, putting the suit on her desk for everyone to see before she opened her door.

"We're going to start a new column," she announced as all her heads stared at the symbol. "Everyday heroes. I want this column in each of our publications and online. Everyday people doing amazing things." She looked at each of her heads as she talked, ending on James. He nodded supportively. "Let's get to work, people."

The end. Really this time.

AN: So, what did you think. Do you like the different endings or do you think I should have just picked one and stuck with it? Like I said, it is the first time I've ever tried that so I'm kinda curios what you guys think.

Once again a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favortied. You guys are awesome.


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